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Trip from Star Valley, AZ to Hayden, AZ

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

2h 58m

Distance

123.1 mi

198 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$25

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 48m ★
6 AM
2h 59m
8 AM
3h 22m
10 AM
3h 7m
12 PM
3h 5m
3 PM
3h 8m
5 PM
3h 20m
8 PM
2h 52m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Star Valley, AZ, AZ

Star Valley, AZ

Krishna Mantripragada

Downtown Hayden, AZ, AZ

Hayden, AZ

Zsolt Pujsz

Trip Overview

The drive from Star Valley, AZ to Hayden, AZ covers 123.1 miles and takes about 2h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway, Tucson-Globe Highway, Apache Trail for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.9 miles on Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.52 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

61.5 miles from Star Valley, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 26m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 58m. Total distance: 123.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 58m drive with frequent turns across 123.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 33.9 miles.

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. The trickiest moment comes around 20.3 miles in near AZ 188 / Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 58m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 20.3 miles (AZ 188 / Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway): Navigation decision point; at 81.2 miles (US 60): Lane positioning matters here; at 84.1 miles (North Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
20.3 mi into trip | ~28m in | AZ 188 / Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway

Turn left onto AZ 188 / Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway

Navigation decision point

4
81.2 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in | US 60

Turn left onto US 60

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
84.1 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in | North Broad Street

Turn left onto North Broad Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
84.6 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in | East Oak Street

Turn left onto East Oak Street

Navigation decision point

4
84.7 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in | South Hill Street

Turn right onto South Hill Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway 33.9 mi 47m
Tucson-Globe Highway 32.9 mi 46m
Apache Trail 27 mi 39m
South Beeline Highway 16.5 mi 21m
Payson-Show Low Highway 3.8 mi 6m
East Ash Street 2.3 mi 4m
North Broad Street 2 mi 3m
US 60 1.5 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway — 33.9 mi, about 47m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Star Valley, AZ and Hayden, AZ.

1

Start on AZ 260

3.8 mi · 6 min · Payson-Show Low Highway
2

Turn left onto AZ 87

16 mi · 21 min · South Beeline Highway
3

Turn left onto AZ 188

34 mi · 47 min · Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway
4

Continue on AZ 188

27 mi · 39 min · Apache Trail
5

Turn left onto US 60

1.5 mi · 2 min · US 60
Use the left lane.
6

Continue on US 60

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Broad Street
7

Turn left onto North Broad Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Broad Street
Use the left lane.
8

Turn left onto East Oak Street

366 ft · 9 sec · East Oak Street
9

Turn right onto South Hill Street

0.3 mi · 39 sec · South Hill Street
10

Turn left onto US 60

2.3 mi · 4 min · East Ash Street
11

Continue on US 70; AZ 77

0.8 mi · 1 min · Globe-Lordsburg Highway
12

Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 77

33 mi · 46 min · Tucson-Globe Highway
13

Turn right onto AZ 177

0.3 mi · 34 sec · 2nd Street
14

Continue on AZ 177

1.1 mi · 2 min · Winkelman-Superior Highway
15

Turn right onto Velasco Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Velasco Avenue
16

Turn left onto Hayden Avenue

336 ft · 9 sec · Hayden Avenue
17

Arrive at destination

Hayden Avenue

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 61.5 miles from Star Valley, AZ, or about 1h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.9 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 27 miles or 37m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 61.5 miles or 1h 26m 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 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hayden, AZ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Star Valley, 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 Star Valley, AZ

This is one driving day of about 123.1 miles and 2h 58m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Star Valley, 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 Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway for about 33.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 61.5 mi from Star Valley, AZ · 1h 26m into the drive

Downtown Tonto Basin, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tonto Basin, AZ

62 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

Payson, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Miami, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 61.5 miles from Star Valley, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Hayden, AZ

The final approach into Hayden, 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 Hayden, AZ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Tonto National Monument

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...

1 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 near mile 55.2
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$24.52 one way

$49.05 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 43 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $25.95 $51.91
premium $5.59 $27.10 $54.19
diesel $5.61 $27.18 $54.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$25

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 43.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 36.9 0 $12.93 $5.91
Efficient EV 30.8 0 $10.77 $4.92
EV Truck/SUV 49.2 0 $17.23 $7.88

Gas CO2

43 kg

EV CO2

14 kg (67% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Star Valley, AZ

Evening in Star Valley on Thursday

Local time

8:56 PM

MST

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hayden, AZ

Evening in Hayden on Thursday

Local time

8:56 PM

MST

Current temp

52°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

11 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 58m 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 Star Valley, AZ to Hayden, AZ covers 123.1 miles and takes about 2h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway, Tucson-Globe Highway, Apache Trail. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61.5 miles from Star Valley, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.52 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 58m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 20.3 miles (AZ 188 / Claypool-Jakes Corner Highway): Navigation decision point; at 81.2 miles (US 60): Lane positioning matters here; at 84.1 miles (North Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Star Valley, AZ to Hayden, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Tonto National Monument.

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