The drive from Payson, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 79.1 miles and takes about 1h 36m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Beeline Highway, East McKellips Road, North McClintock Drive for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 72.1 miles on South Beeline Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.6 miles from Payson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 46m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 79.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 36m drive with frequent turns across 79.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 7 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Beeline Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 72.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Payson, AZ to Tempe, AZ is easy. At 1h 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 72.1 miles (East McDowell Road): Navigation decision point; at 72.8 miles (North Alma School Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway
Depart onto AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
72.1 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|East McDowell Road
Turn right onto East McDowell Road
Navigation decision point
6
72.8 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|North Alma School Road
Turn left onto North Alma School Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
76.6 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|North McClintock Drive
Turn left onto North McClintock Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
79.1 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|US 80 Hist / East Apache Boulevard
Turn right onto US 80 Hist / East Apache Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South Beeline Highway
72.1 mi
1h 24m
East McKellips Road
3.1 mi
4m
North McClintock Drive
2.5 mi
4m
East McDowell Road
0.8 mi
1m
North Alma School Road
0.7 mi
1m
East Apache Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
South Beeline Highway
— 72.1 mi, about 1h 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Payson, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 87
72 mi·1 hr 24 min·South Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
2
Turn right onto East McDowell Road
0.8 mi·1 min·East McDowell Road
3
Turn left onto North Alma School Road
0.7 mi·1 min·North Alma School Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto East McKellips Road
3.1 mi·4 min·East McKellips Road
5
Turn left onto North McClintock Drive
2.5 mi·4 min·North McClintock Drive
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto US 80 Hist
60 ft·1 sec·East Apache Boulevard
Use the right lane.
7
Arrive at destination
US 80 Hist
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.6 miles from Payson, AZ, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.1 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 17 miles or 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.6 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Payson, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Payson, AZ
This is one driving day of about 79.1 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Payson, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on South Beeline Highway for about 72.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.6 mi from Payson, AZ
· 46m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Tonto National Monument
National Monument
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
$10
near mile 46.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.76 one way
$31.52 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$16.68
$33.35
premium
$5.59
$17.41
$34.82
diesel
$5.61
$17.46
$34.93
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.7
0
$8.31
$3.80
Efficient EV
19.8
0
$6.92
$3.16
EV Truck/SUV
31.6
0
$11.07
$5.06
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Payson, AZ
Morning
in Payson on Friday
Local time
9:46 AM
MST
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tempe, AZ
Morning
in Tempe on Friday
Local time
9:46 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
49 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
1h 36m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Payson, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 79.1 miles and takes about 1h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Beeline Highway, East McKellips Road, North McClintock Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.6 miles from Payson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.76 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Payson, AZ to Tempe, AZ is easy. At 1h 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 72.1 miles (East McDowell Road): Navigation decision point; at 72.8 miles (North Alma School Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Payson, AZ to Tempe, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Tonto National Monument.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
