Origin
Desert Hills, AZ
Morning in Desert Hills on Saturday
Local time
11:38 AM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Desert Hills, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
216.7 mi
349 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 55m
★
6 AM
4h 8m
8 AM
4h 34m
10 AM
4h 17m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 33m
8 PM
4h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Desert Hills, AZ
Mark Direen
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 216.7 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway, Papago Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 104.7 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 104.7 mi | 1h 45m |
| Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway | 63.1 mi | 1h 16m |
| Papago Freeway | 21.2 mi | 24m |
| Riverside Drive | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Rio Vista Highway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| North Central Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| East Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 104.7 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Desert Hills, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on Bayshore Road
235 ft
·
10 sec
·
Bayshore Road
2
Continue on Mountain View Drive
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Mountain View Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Thrasher Drive
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Thrasher Drive
4
At end of road, turn right onto London Bridge Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
London Bridge Road
5
Turn left onto Chenoweth Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Chenoweth Road
6
Turn right onto AZ 95
26 mi
·
33 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on AZ 95
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Riverside Drive
8
Turn straight onto AZ 95
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
9
Continue on AZ 95
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Rio Vista Highway
10
Turn left onto AZ 95
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
California Avenue
11
Continue on AZ 95
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
12
Continue on AZ 95
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
13
Continue on AZ 95
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North Central Boulevard
14
Turn left onto I 10 BUS
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
15
Turn right onto I 10 Bus
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Riggles Road
16
Take the ramp onto I 10 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 Business
17
Merge onto I 10
105 mi
·
1 hr 45 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 10
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
20
Continue on I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
23
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on Red Mountain Freeeway
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeeway
Toward Center Parkway, Priest Drive
26
Turn right onto North Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Priest Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Continue on South Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
28
Turn left onto West University Drive
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West University Drive
Use the left lane.
29
Turn right onto South Farmer Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Farmer Avenue
30
At end of road, turn left onto West 13th Street
236 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 13th Street
31
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 108.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 48 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.3 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe Junction, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Desert Hills, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Desert Hills, AZ
This is one driving day of about 216.7 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Desert Hills, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway for about 104.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
108 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 48 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 108.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 104.7 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 213.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Thrasher Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Thrasher Drive
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
208.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 54m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
6
208.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 54m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
208.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 55m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
213.7 mi into trip
|
~4h in
Take the exit toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.17 one way
$86.34 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
76 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $45.69 | $91.37 |
| premium | $5.59 | $47.70 | $95.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $47.84 | $95.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 65 | 0 | $22.75 | $10.40 |
| Efficient EV | 54.2 | 0 | $18.96 | $8.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 86.7 | 1 | $30.34 | $13.87 |
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Morning in Tempe Junction on Saturday
Local time
11:38 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 7m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
216.7 mi in 4h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104.7 mi on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Thrasher Drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 216.7 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Thrasher Drive): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 208.3 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 208.4 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 7m. Total distance: 216.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 104.7 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Tempe Junction, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Thrasher Drive): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 208.3 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 208.4 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Tempe Junction, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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