Trip from Tempe, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

83.9 mi

135 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min

4 AM

1h 37m ★

6 AM

1h 44m

8 AM

2h 0m

10 AM

1h 50m

12 PM

1h 48m

3 PM

1h 51m

5 PM

1h 59m

8 PM

1h 40m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Tempe, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ covers 83.9 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Beeline Highway, North Beeline Highway, AZ 260 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 68.4 miles on Beeline Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.71 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.

Midpoint

41.9 miles from Tempe, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 83.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

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

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 44m drive with frequent turns across 83.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Beeline Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 68.4 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 1.4 miles in near South Price Road.

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 1h 44m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

5

1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | South Price Road

Turn left onto South Price Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

5

2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway

Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

4.5 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward McDowell Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 49 Toward McDowell Road

5

5 mi into trip | ~8m in | East McDowell Road

Turn right onto East McDowell Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.

5

7.5 mi into trip | ~12m in | AZ 87 / North Beeline Highway

Turn left onto AZ 87 / North Beeline Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Beeline Highway	68.4 mi	1h 20m
North Beeline Highway	4.2 mi	4m
AZ 260	3.7 mi	6m
East McDowell Road	2.6 mi	4m
Pima Freeway	1.7 mi	1m
East Apache Boulevard	1.4 mi	3m
South Price Road	1 mi	1m
Payson-Show Low Highway	—	—

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Beeline Highway — 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tempe, AZ and Sun Valley, AZ.

1

Start on US 80 Hist

0.2 mi · 27 sec · East Apache Boulevard

2

Continue on US 80 Hist

1.3 mi · 2 min · East Apache Boulevard

Use the left lane.

3

Turn left onto South Price Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Price Road

Use the left lane.

4

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 50 sec · this road

Toward AZ 101 Loop North Use the left / straight / right lanes.

5

Merge onto AZ 101 Loop

1.7 mi · 1 min · Pima Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Exit 49 Toward McDowell Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

Turn right onto East McDowell Road

2.6 mi · 4 min · East McDowell Road

Use the straight / left / right lanes.

8

Turn left onto AZ 87

4.2 mi · 4 min · North Beeline Highway

Use the left / straight lanes.

9

Continue on AZ 87

68 mi · 1 hr 20 min · Beeline Highway

Use the left lane.

10

Turn right onto AZ 260

3.7 mi · 6 min · AZ 260

11

Arrive at destination

AZ 260

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 41.9 miles from Tempe, AZ, or about 53m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.4 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 18 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 41.9 miles or 53m 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 27m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Tempe, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Tempe, AZ

This is one driving day of about 83.9 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Tempe, AZ.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on Beeline Highway for about 68.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 41.9 mi from Tempe, AZ · 53m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tonto Basin, AZ

42 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

Mesa, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fountain Hills, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 41.9 miles from Tempe, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Beeline Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.4 miles.

Arriving in Sun Valley, AZ

The final approach into Sun Valley, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

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 ~56 min detour $10 near mile 34.7

View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.71 one way

$33.43 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 29 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.36	$17.69	$35.38
premium	$5.59	$18.47	$36.94
diesel	$5.61	$18.52	$37.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	25.2	$8.81	$4.03
Efficient EV	21	$7.34	$3.36
EV Truck/SUV	33.6	$11.75	$5.37

Gas CO2

29 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Tempe, AZ

Afternoon in Tempe on Thursday

Local time

3:09 PM

MST

Current temp

93°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Sun Valley, AZ

Afternoon in Sun Valley on Thursday

Local time

3:09 PM

MST

Current temp

41°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

52 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 44m 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 Tempe, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ covers 83.9 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Beeline Highway, North Beeline Highway, AZ 260. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 41.9 miles from Tempe, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.71 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.

This is a straightforward 1h 44m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Tempe, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Tonto National Monument.

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Trip from Tempe, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Who Is This Route For?

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Sun Valley, AZ

National Parks Near This Route

Tonto National Monument

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Tempe, AZ

Sun Valley, AZ

Same local time

52 degrees cooler at arrival

1h 44m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

Continue From Sun Valley, AZ

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