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Trip from Tempe, AZ to Taylor, AZ

Drive Time

3h 30m

Distance

163.2 mi

263 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

6 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 18m ★
6 AM
3h 30m
8 AM
3h 55m
10 AM
3h 39m
12 PM
3h 36m
3 PM
3h 40m
5 PM
3h 54m
8 PM
3h 23m

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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Downtown Tempe, AZ, AZ

Tempe, AZ

Vladimir Srajber

Downtown Taylor, AZ, AZ

Taylor, AZ

Daniil Kondrashin

Trip Overview

The drive from Tempe, AZ to Taylor, AZ covers 163.2 miles and takes about 3h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Beeline Highway, AZ 260, West 3rd Street North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 68.4 miles on Beeline Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.48 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

81.6 miles from Tempe, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 39m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Tempe, AZ to Taylor, AZ covers 163.2 miles and takes about 3h 30m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 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?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near South Price Road.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 163.2 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

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 12 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
AZ 260 53 mi 1h 11m
West 3rd Street North 18.9 mi 22m
Pulp Mill Road 5 mi 7m
North Beeline Highway 4.2 mi 4m
West Papermill Road 4 mi 6m
East McDowell Road 2.6 mi 4m
Highway 277 1.9 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Beeline Highway — 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tempe, AZ and Taylor, 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

53 mi · 1 hr 11 min · AZ 260
Use the straight lane.
11

Turn left onto AZ 277

1.9 mi · 3 min · Highway 277
12

Continue on AZ 277

19 mi · 22 min · West 3rd Street North
13

Keep slight left at fork onto AZ 277

286 ft · 4 sec · West 3rd Street North
14

Turn right onto Pulp Mill Road

5.0 mi · 7 min · Pulp Mill Road
15

Continue on West Papermill Road

4.0 mi · 6 min · West Papermill Road
16

At end of road, turn right onto AZ 77

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Show Low-Holbrook Highway
17

Arrive at destination

AZ 77

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 81.6 miles from Tempe, AZ, or about 1h 39m 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 80 miles or 1h 37m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 81.6 miles or 1h 39m 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 50m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Taylor, 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.

+

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 Tempe, AZ

This is one driving day of about 163.2 miles and 3h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Tempe, 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 Beeline Highway for about 68.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 81.6 mi from Tempe, AZ · 1h 39m into the drive

Downtown Scottsdale, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Scottsdale, AZ

82 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

Scottsdale, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Scottsdale, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 81.6 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 Taylor, AZ

The final approach into Taylor, 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 Taylor, 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...

22 mi from route ~56 min detour $10 near mile 33.8
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.48 one way

$64.96 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 57 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.34 $34.30 $68.60
premium $5.59 $35.90 $71.80
diesel $5.64 $36.26 $72.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 57.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

EV Charging Along Route

6 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

The Pavilions - Tesla Supercharger

Mesa, AZ

Tesla

16 DCFC

Arizona Mills Mall - Tesla Supercharger

Tempe, AZ

Tesla

14 DCFC

AZ Mills Mall (Tempe, AZ)

Tempe, AZ

Electrify America

8 DCFC

WinCo Foods - Gilbert

Gilbert, AZ

eVgo Network

4 DCFC

Kroger Frys 62 (Mesa, AZ)

Mesa, AZ

Electrify America

4 DCFC

Blink Charging - Tempe Office

Tempe, AZ

Blink Network

2 DCFC

Tesla: 2 Electrify America: 2 Blink Network: 1 eVgo Network: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 49 0 $17.14 $7.83
Efficient EV 40.8 0 $14.28 $6.53
EV Truck/SUV 65.3 0 $22.85 $10.44

Gas CO2

57 kg

EV CO2

19 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Tempe, AZ

Late night in Tempe on Monday

Local time

3:28 AM

MST

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Taylor, AZ

Late night in Taylor on Monday

Local time

3:28 AM

MST

Current temp

35°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

24 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

3h 30m 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 Taylor, AZ covers 163.2 miles and takes about 3h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Beeline Highway, AZ 260, West 3rd Street North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 81.6 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 $32.48 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 163.2 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 Taylor, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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