The drive from Tempe Junction, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 108.4 miles and takes about 2h 2m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.59 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
54.2 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 59m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 108.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 2m drive with frequent turns across 108.4 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.
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 50 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 108.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (I 10 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
8
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left toward I 10 East: Tucson
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
5
4 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: East Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 10 East: East Tucson
5
4.2 mi into trip|~7m in|I 10 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
98.6 mi into trip|~1h 44m in
Take the exit toward Orange Grove Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250
Toward Orange Grove Road
6
99.4 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|West River Road
Turn right onto West River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
50 mi
50m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
37.8 mi
38m
Maricopa Freeway
6.7 mi
7m
West River Road
5.2 mi
8m
East River Road
2.5 mi
4m
West Broadway Road
1.6 mi
3m
Hohokam Expressway
1.4 mi
1m
North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 50 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tempe Junction, AZ and Catalina Foothills, AZ.
1
Start on West 13th Street
0.3 mi·55 sec·West 13th Street
2
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Roosevelt Street
3
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
1.3 mi·2 min·West Broadway Road
4
Continue on West Broadway Road
0.3 mi·1 min·West Broadway Road
5
Turn left
0.2 mi·34 sec
Toward I 10 East: TucsonUse the left lane.
6
Merge onto AZ 143
1.4 mi·1 min·Hohokam Expressway
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 10 East: East Tucson
8
Merge onto I 10
6.7 mi·7 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
50 mi·50 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 250Toward Orange Grove RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto North Casa Grande Highway
0.1 mi·13 sec·North Casa Grande Highway
13
Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road
0.4 mi·47 sec·West Orange Grove Road
14
Turn right onto West River Road
5.2 mi·8 min·West River Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on East River Road
2.5 mi·4 min·East River Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn left onto North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi·3 min·North Hacienda del Sol Road
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
North Hacienda del Sol Road
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 54.2 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50 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 24 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.2 miles or 59m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Catalina Foothills, 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.
+
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 Junction, AZ
This is one driving day of about 108.4 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 50 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 54.2 mi from Tempe Junction, AZ
· 59m into the drive
The midpoint is around 54.2 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Catalina Foothills, AZ
The final approach into Catalina Foothills, 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 Catalina Foothills, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 41.1
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
$25
near mile 108.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.59 one way
$43.19 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$22.85
$45.71
premium
$5.59
$23.86
$47.72
diesel
$5.61
$23.93
$47.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.5
0
$11.38
$5.20
Efficient EV
27.1
0
$9.49
$4.34
EV Truck/SUV
43.4
0
$15.18
$6.94
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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 Junction, AZ
Late night
in Tempe Junction on Saturday
Local time
3:36 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Late night
in Catalina Foothills on Saturday
Local time
3:36 AM
MST
Current temp
55°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
35 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
2h 2m 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 Junction, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 108.4 miles and takes about 2h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 54.2 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 $21.59 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 demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 108.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (I 10 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tempe Junction, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
