Origin
Sierra Vista, AZ
Afternoon in Sierra Vista on Saturday
Local time
1:13 PM
MST
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sierra Vista, AZ to Tempe, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 48m
Distance
184.3 mi
297 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 38m
★
6 AM
2h 49m
8 AM
3h 11m
10 AM
2h 57m
12 PM
2h 54m
3 PM
2h 58m
5 PM
3h 10m
8 PM
2h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sierra Vista, AZ
Leslie del Moral
Tempe, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sierra Vista, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 184.3 miles and takes about 2h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Fry Boulevard, Buffalo Soldier Trail, State Route 90 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.71 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92.2 miles from Sierra Vista, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Fry Boulevard | — | — |
| Buffalo Soldier Trail | — | — |
| State Route 90 | — | — |
| South Huachuca Boulevard | — | — |
| Huachuca Boulevard | — | — |
| Highway 90 | — | — |
| I 10 | — | — |
| Tucson-Benson Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Fry Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sierra Vista, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on the route
59 ft
·
7 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto West Fry Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Fry Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Buffalo Soldier Trail
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Buffalo Soldier Trail
4
Continue on State Route 90
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 90
5
Continue on South Huachuca Boulevard
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
South Huachuca Boulevard
6
Continue on State Route 90
12 mi
·
13 min
·
State Route 90
7
Continue on Huachuca Boulevard
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Huachuca Boulevard
8
Continue on South State Highway 90
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South State Highway 90
9
Turn left onto I 10, Tuscon, South Tuscon
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10, Tuscon, South Tuscon
10
Merge slight left onto Tucson-Benson Highway
41 mi
·
43 min
·
Tucson-Benson Highway
11
Continue on South Freeway
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
South Freeway
12
Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
13
Keep slight left to continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
51 mi
·
51 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
14
Continue on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38 mi
·
38 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
15
Continue on Maricopa Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
16
Take the exit slight right toward US 60 East: Mesa-Globe
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 60 East: Mesa-Globe
17
Keep slight right to continue on US 60 East: Mesa Globe
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 60 East: Mesa Globe
18
Merge slight left onto Superstition Freeway
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Superstition Freeway
19
Take the exit slight right toward McClintock Drive
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
McClintock Drive
20
Turn left onto South McClintock Drive
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South McClintock Drive
21
Turn left onto East Apache Boulevard
138 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Apache Boulevard
22
Arrive at your destination
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 92.2 miles from Sierra Vista, AZ, or about 1h 24m 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 41 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92.2 miles or 1h 24m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 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 Sierra Vista, 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 Sierra Vista, AZ
This is one driving day of about 184.3 miles and 2h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Sierra Vista, 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
92 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 92.2 miles from Sierra Vista, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.71 one way
$73.43 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
65 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $38.86 | $77.71 |
| premium | $5.59 | $40.57 | $81.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $40.69 | $81.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 55.3 | 0 | $19.35 | $8.85 |
| Efficient EV | 46.1 | 0 | $16.13 | $7.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.7 | 0 | $25.80 | $11.80 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Tempe, AZ
Afternoon in Tempe on Saturday
Local time
1:13 PM
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
42 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
2h 48m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
184.3 mi in 2h 48m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: West Fry Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Sierra Vista, AZ to Tempe, AZ is easy. At 2h 48m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sierra Vista, AZ to Tempe, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Sierra Vista, AZ
Full guide →Sierra Vista (Spanish: Mountain View) is a city in Southeast Arizona and the commercial hub of the region, making it a convenient base from which to explore the area. It is perhaps best known for historic Fort Huachuca, established in 1877 during the Apache Wars. Although still an active U.S. Army military base, its two military museums and historic cemetery are open to the general public. The landscape around the city is typical for the Southwestern United States, and the nearby mountains and canyons can be explored on foot, by bike, or on horseback. Because it is a major stopover point on avian migration routes, the area is popular with avid birdwatchers and naturalists, and is known as the "Hummingbird Capital of America".
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 48m. Total distance: 184.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sierra Vista, AZ to Tempe, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tempe, AZ before heading back.
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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