Origin
Houck, AZ
Morning in Houck on Monday
Local time
9:26 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Houck, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Drive Time
4h 33m
Distance
303.9 mi
489 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$60
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 20m
★
6 AM
4h 33m
8 AM
5h 0m
10 AM
4h 43m
12 PM
4h 40m
3 PM
4h 44m
5 PM
4h 59m
8 PM
4h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Houck, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 303.9 miles and takes about 4h 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on St, Purple Heart Trail, I 40 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $60.48 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
151.9 miles from Houck, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 33m drive with frequent turns across 303.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
St is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 33m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houck, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| St | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Purple Heart Trail | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 40 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Navajo Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Holbrook-Springerville Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Show Low-Holbrook Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Heber Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Heber-Holbrook Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
St
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Houck, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on North Frontage Road
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Frontage Road
2
Turn sharp left onto St. Anslem Road
174 ft
·
6 sec
·
St. Anslem Road
3
Take the ramp right
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
61 mi
·
1 hr
·
Purple Heart Trail
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 40 Business, AZ 77 South, AZ 377 South, US 180 East: Show Low, Heber
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 40 Business, AZ 77 South, AZ 377 South, US 180 East: Show Low, Heber
6
Turn left onto Navajo Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Navajo Boulevard
7
Continue on Holbrook-Springerville Highway
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Holbrook-Springerville Highway
8
Continue on Show Low-Holbrook Highway
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
9
Turn right onto Heber Road
31 mi
·
36 min
·
Heber Road
10
Turn straight onto Heber-Holbrook Highway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Heber-Holbrook Highway
11
At the end of the road, turn right onto West 3rd Street North
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West 3rd Street North
12
Continue on Highway 277
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 277
13
At the end of the road, turn right onto Highway 260
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Highway 260
14
Continue on Hwy 260
16 mi
·
22 min
·
Hwy 260
15
Continue on Payson-Heber Highway
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Payson-Heber Highway
16
Continue on Payson-Show Low Highway
24 mi
·
30 min
·
Payson-Show Low Highway
17
Turn left onto South Beeline Highway
73 mi
·
1 hr 26 min
·
South Beeline Highway
18
Continue on North Country Club Drive
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
North Country Club Drive
19
Take the exit right toward AZ 202 Loop West
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
AZ 202 Loop West
20
Merge slight left onto Red Mountain Freeway
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward Scottsdale Road, Rural Road
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Scottsdale Road, Rural Road
22
Keep slight left to continue on Arizona State University-Tempe
400 ft
·
12 sec
·
Arizona State University-Tempe
23
Turn slight left onto North Scottsdale Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Scottsdale Road
24
Continue on South Rural Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Rural Road
25
Turn right onto East Apache Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Apache Boulevard
26
Turn left onto East 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
East 13th Street
27
Arrive at your destination
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 151.9 miles from Houck, AZ, or about 2h 16m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 151.9 miles or 2h 16m 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 44m
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 Houck, 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 Houck, AZ
This is one driving day of about 303.9 miles and 4h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Houck, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 151.9 mi from Houck, AZ · 2h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
152 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 151.9 miles from Houck, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe Junction, AZ
The final approach into Tempe Junction, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Tempe Junction, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.48 one way
$120.96 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
106 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $63.87 | $127.73 |
| premium | $5.59 | $66.85 | $133.69 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $67.52 | $135.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 106.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 91.2 | 1 | $31.91 | $14.59 |
| Efficient EV | 76 | 0 | $26.59 | $12.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 121.6 | 1 | $42.55 | $19.45 |
Gas CO2
106 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Monday
Local time
8:26 AM
MST
Current temp
60°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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
27 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 33m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Houck, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 303.9 miles and takes about 4h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are St, Purple Heart Trail, I 40. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 151.9 miles from Houck, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $60.48 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 33m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houck, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Houck, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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