Origin
Saint Michaels, AZ
Morning in Saint Michaels on Monday
Local time
8:24 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Michaels, AZ to Tempe, AZ
Drive Time
5h 7m
Distance
339.8 mi
547 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 54m
★
6 AM
5h 8m
8 AM
5h 35m
10 AM
5h 17m
12 PM
5h 14m
3 PM
5h 18m
5 PM
5h 33m
8 PM
5h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tempe, AZ
Vladimir Srajber
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Michaels, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 339.8 miles and takes about 5h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Route 12, 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 $67.63 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
169.9 miles from Saint Michaels, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 33m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 7m drive with frequent turns across 339.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Route 12 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 5h 7m 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 Saint Michaels, AZ to Tempe, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Route 12 | 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:
Route 12
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Michaels, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on the route
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto Navajo Route 12
23 mi
·
31 min
·
Navajo Route 12
3
Take the ramp right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
70 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
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
Turn right onto East McDowell Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East McDowell Road
19
Turn left onto North Alma School Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Alma School Road
20
Turn right onto East McKellips Road
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
East McKellips Road
21
Turn left onto North McClintock Drive
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North McClintock Drive
22
Turn right onto East Apache Boulevard
59 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Apache Boulevard
23
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 169.9 miles from Saint Michaels, AZ, or about 2h 33m 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 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 169.9 miles or 2h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 13m
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 Saint Michaels, 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 Saint Michaels, AZ
This is one driving day of about 339.8 miles and 5h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Saint Michaels, 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 169.9 mi from Saint Michaels, AZ · 2h 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
170 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 169.9 miles from Saint Michaels, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe, AZ
The final approach into Tempe, 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, 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
$67.63 one way
$135.25 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
119 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $71.41 | $142.82 |
| premium | $5.59 | $74.74 | $149.49 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $75.49 | $150.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$93–$118
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 118.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 101.9 | 1 | $35.68 | $16.31 |
| Efficient EV | 85 | 0 | $29.73 | $13.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 135.9 | 1 | $47.57 | $21.75 |
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 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, AZ
Morning in Tempe on Monday
Local time
7:24 AM
MST
Current temp
59°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
26 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
5h 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Saint Michaels, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 339.8 miles and takes about 5h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Route 12, 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 169.9 miles from Saint Michaels, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $67.63 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 5h 7m 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 Saint Michaels, AZ to Tempe, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Saint Michaels, AZ to Tempe, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Tempe, AZ
More trips to Tempe, AZ
Explore more options from Saint Michaels, AZ or browse trips ending in Tempe, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.
Explore maps for Saint Michaels, AZ or Tempe, AZ on MapSof.net.