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Trip from Tempe, AZ to East Sahuarita, AZ

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 28m

Distance

132 mi

212 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$26

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 18m ★
6 AM
2h 28m
8 AM
2h 48m
10 AM
2h 35m
12 PM
2h 33m
3 PM
2h 36m
5 PM
2h 47m
8 PM
2h 22m

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

city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Tempe, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Tempe, AZ to East Sahuarita, AZ covers 132 miles and takes about 2h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Apache Boulevard, South McClintock Drive, US 60 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.30 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

66 miles from Tempe, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East Apache Boulevard
South McClintock Drive
US 60 West
Superstition Freeway
I 10 East
Maricopa Freeway
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: East Apache Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tempe, AZ and East Sahuarita, AZ.

1

Start on East Apache Boulevard

0.2 mi · 28 sec · East Apache Boulevard
2

Continue on East Apache Boulevard

0.2 mi · 38 sec · East Apache Boulevard
3

Turn right onto South McClintock Drive

2.0 mi · 3 min · South McClintock Drive
4

Take the ramp right toward US 60 West: Phoenix

0.3 mi · 46 sec · US 60 West: Phoenix
5

Merge slight left onto Superstition Freeway

2.5 mi · 2 min · Superstition Freeway
6

Take the exit slight left toward I 10 East: Tucson

0.9 mi · 2 min · I 10 East: Tucson
7

Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: Tucson

0.4 mi · 55 sec · I 10 East: Tucson
8

Merge slight left onto Maricopa Freeway

6.1 mi · 7 min · Maricopa Freeway
9

Continue on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway

38 mi · 38 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
10

Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

55 mi · 55 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
11

Continue on North Freeway

5.4 mi · 6 min · North Freeway
12

Take the exit slight right toward I 19 South: Nogales

0.5 mi · 38 sec · I 19 South: Nogales
13

Continue on Nogales–Tucson Highway

16 mi · 19 min · Nogales–Tucson Highway
14

Take the exit slight right toward Sahuarita Road

0.4 mi · 58 sec · Sahuarita Road
15

Turn left onto West Sahuarita Road

3.5 mi · 6 min · West Sahuarita Road
16

Turn right onto South Country Club Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Country Club Road
17

At the end of the road, turn left onto East El Toro Road

315 ft · 9 sec · East El Toro Road
18

Arrive at your destination

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 66 miles from Tempe, AZ, or about 1h 14m into the drive.

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 29 miles or 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 66 miles or 1h 14m 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 1m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Sahuarita, 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 132 miles and 2h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Tempe, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

census designated place in Pinal County, Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Arizona City, AZ

66 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

Chandler, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Arizona City, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 66 miles from Tempe, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$26.30 one way

$52.59 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 46 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $27.83 $55.66
premium $5.59 $29.06 $58.11
diesel $5.61 $29.14 $58.29

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$26

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$51–$76

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 46.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 39.6 0 $13.86 $6.34
Efficient EV 33 0 $11.55 $5.28
EV Truck/SUV 52.8 0 $18.48 $8.45

Gas CO2

46 kg

EV CO2

15 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 15, 2026

Origin

Tempe, AZ

Afternoon in Tempe on Saturday

Local time

12:45 PM

MST

Current temp

93°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

East Sahuarita, AZ

Afternoon in East Sahuarita on Saturday

Local time

12:45 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

41 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 28m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

132 mi in 2h 28m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: East Apache Boulevard.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Tempe, AZ to East Sahuarita, AZ is easy. At 2h 28m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tempe, AZ to East Sahuarita, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 132 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tempe, AZ to East Sahuarita, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East Sahuarita, AZ before heading back.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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