Origin
Tempe Junction, AZ
Morning in Tempe Junction on Saturday
Local time
11:41 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tempe Junction, AZ to Star Valley, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 46m
Distance
85.2 mi
137 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 39m
★
6 AM
1h 46m
8 AM
2h 2m
10 AM
1h 52m
12 PM
1h 50m
3 PM
1h 53m
5 PM
2h 1m
8 PM
1h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Star Valley, AZ
Krishna Mantripragada
Trip Overview
Tempe Junction, AZ to Star Valley, AZ is 85.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 46 minutes via Beeline Highway, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Desert Southwest, moving from one part of Arizona to another. Given its relatively short duration and turn-heavy local drive profile, it's best suited for a single-day trip. The majority of the route utilizes the Beeline Highway, offering a straightforward path to your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.6 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Beeline Highway | 68.4 mi | 1h 20m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| North Beeline Highway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| AZ 260 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| South Rural Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Apache Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Country Club Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Scottsdale Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Beeline Highway
— 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tempe Junction, AZ and Star Valley, AZ.
1
Start on West 13th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 13th Street
2
Turn straight onto US 80 Hist
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Apache Boulevard
3
Turn left onto South Rural Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Rural Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on North Scottsdale Road
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Scottsdale Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop East: Red Mountain Freeway
6
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 13
Toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn left onto AZ 87
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Country Club Drive
9
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10
Continue on AZ 87
68 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto AZ 260
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
AZ 260
12
Arrive at destination
AZ 260
Trip Plan
For this 85.2-mile journey, leaving Tempe Junction in the morning allows ample time to reach Star Valley without feeling rushed, especially since it’s a single-day trip. With a total duration of just under two hours, you won't need to plan for extensive stops. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $17, and while there's a significant stretch on the Beeline Highway, local roads mean more opportunities to check your surroundings. Consider a quick stop around the halfway mark if needed, but the flexibility of this short drive means you can easily adjust your pace.
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 42.6 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ, or about 54m 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 19 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.6 miles or 54m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Star Valley, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tempe Junction, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Tempe Junction, AZ
This is one driving day of about 85.2 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Tempe Junction, 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 42.6 miles from Tempe Junction, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 7.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Rural Road
Turn left onto South Rural Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward AZ 202 Loop East: Red Mountain Freeway
Navigation decision point
Toward AZ 202 Loop East: Red Mountain Freeway
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.97 one way
$33.95 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $17.96 | $35.92 |
| premium | $5.59 | $18.75 | $37.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.81 | $37.62 |
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: 29.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.95 | $4.09 |
| Efficient EV | 21.3 | 0 | $7.46 | $3.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.1 | 0 | $11.93 | $5.45 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Destination
Star Valley, AZ
Morning in Star Valley on Saturday
Local time
11:41 AM
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
49 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 46m 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.
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...
22 mi from route
~56 min detour
$10
near mile 35.3
Caution: Construction Delays
Caution: Water is Required
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll navigate a fair number of intersections and varying road types rather than a continuous interstate cruise. While 10% of the drive is on a highway, the majority is on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 68.4 miles on the Beeline Highway, offering a period of more consistent driving before you transition back to more frequent turns. Expect the road to feel more like a local thoroughfare than a major cross-country artery.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 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?
3/10
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 miles in near South Rural 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 46m drive. You will face about 4 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 miles (South Rural Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tempe Junction, AZ to Star Valley, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Payson along the way.
Payson
7.5 mi in
|
~12m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 85.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (10%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Tempe Junction, AZ to Star Valley, AZ covers 85.2 miles and takes about 1h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Beeline Highway, Red Mountain Freeway, North Beeline Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.6 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.97 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 46m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (South Rural Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tempe Junction, AZ to Star Valley, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Payson along the way.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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