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Trip from Tempe, AZ to Tortolita, AZ

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

Drive Time

1h 55m

Distance

101.4 mi

163 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 47m ★
6 AM
1h 55m
8 AM
2h 12m
10 AM
2h 1m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 2m
5 PM
2h 11m
8 PM
1h 50m

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

Downtown Tortolita, AZ, AZ

Tortolita, AZ

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

The drive from Tempe, AZ to Tortolita, AZ covers 101.4 miles and takes about 1h 55m 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 $20.20 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

50.7 miles from Tempe, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m 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 Tortolita, 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

40 mi · 40 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
11

Take the exit slight right toward Tangerine Road

0.4 mi · 57 sec · Tangerine Road
12

Turn left onto West Tangerine Road

8.9 mi · 14 min · West Tangerine Road
13

Turn right onto North La Cholla Boulevard

1.0 mi · 1 min · North La Cholla Boulevard
14

Turn right onto West Naranja Drive

0.3 mi · 37 sec · West Naranja Drive
15

Turn right onto North Gemini Drive

226 ft · 14 sec · North Gemini Drive
16

Turn left

30 ft · 1 sec
17

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 50.7 miles from Tempe, AZ, or about 57m 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 22 miles or 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 50.7 miles or 57m 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 Tortolita, 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 101.4 miles and 1h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 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

51 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

Phoenix, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Arizona City, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 50.7 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

$20.20 one way

$40.40 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $21.38 $42.76
premium $5.59 $22.32 $44.64
diesel $5.61 $22.39 $44.78

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.5 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 30.4 0 $10.65 $4.87
Efficient EV 25.4 0 $8.87 $4.06
EV Truck/SUV 40.6 0 $14.20 $6.49

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 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 Saturday

Local time

1:14 PM

MST

Current temp

93°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tortolita, AZ

Afternoon in Tortolita on Saturday

Local time

1:14 PM

MST

Current temp

56°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

37 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 55m 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?

101.4 mi in 1h 55m 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.
17 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 Tortolita, AZ is easy. At 1h 55m 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 Tortolita, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 101.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tempe, AZ to Tortolita, 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 Tortolita, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Tortolita, AZ to Tempe, AZ

Plan the drive back the other way.

101 mi 1h 54m

Explore more options from Tempe, AZ or browse trips ending in Tortolita, AZ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.