Origin
Tuba City, AZ
Morning in Tuba City on Friday
Local time
8:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tuba City, AZ to Tempe, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 44m
Distance
234.9 mi
378 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 32m
★
6 AM
3h 45m
8 AM
4h 10m
10 AM
3h 54m
12 PM
3h 51m
3 PM
3h 55m
5 PM
4h 9m
8 PM
3h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tuba City, AZ
Nikita Khandelwal
Tempe, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Tuba City, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 234.9 miles and takes about 3h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Main Street, Navajo Trail, Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.80 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
117.5 miles from Tuba City, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 52m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 44m. Total distance: 234.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 44m drive with frequent turns across 234.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
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 3h 44m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tuba City, AZ to Tempe, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | — | — |
| Navajo Trail | — | — |
| Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway | — | — |
| US 89 | — | — |
| Cameron–Bitter Springs Highway | — | — |
| Flagstaff-Cameron Highway | — | — |
| Highway 89 | — | — |
| Country Club Drive | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tuba City, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on Cedar Avenue
16 ft
·
3 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
2
Turn right onto Main Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto Navajo Trail
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Navajo Trail
4
At the end of the road, turn left onto Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway
5
Continue on US 89
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 89
6
Continue on Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway
7
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Cameron–Bitter Springs Highway
154 ft
·
3 sec
·
Cameron–Bitter Springs Highway
8
Exit the rotary onto Flagstaff-Cameron Highway
38 mi
·
44 min
·
Flagstaff-Cameron Highway
9
Continue on US Highway 89
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
US Highway 89
10
Continue on Flagstaff-Cameron Highway
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Flagstaff-Cameron Highway
11
Turn left onto Country Club Drive
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Country Club Drive
12
Take the exit right
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
13
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
14
Take the exit slight right toward I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff
15
Keep slight left to continue on I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
16
Merge slight left onto Arizona Veterans Highway
93 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
17
Continue on Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
5.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
18
Continue on Black Canyon Freeway
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
19
Continue on North Black Canyon Highway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Black Canyon Highway
20
Continue on Black Canyon Freeway
25 mi
·
28 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
23
Merge slight left onto Papago Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
24
Continue on Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
25
Continue on Papago Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
26
Take the exit slight right toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
27
Keep slight right to continue on Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
28
Keep slight left to continue on Red Mountain Freeway
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
29
Take the exit slight right toward McClintock Drive
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
McClintock Drive
30
Turn right onto South McClintock Drive
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
South McClintock Drive
31
Turn right onto East Apache Boulevard
59 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Apache Boulevard
32
Arrive at your destination
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 117.5 miles from Tuba City, AZ, or about 1h 52m 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 52 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 117.5 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tuba City, 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 Tuba City, AZ
This is one driving day of about 234.9 miles and 3h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Tuba City, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 117.5 mi from Tuba City, AZ · 1h 52m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
117 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 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 117.5 miles from Tuba City, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe, AZ
The final approach into Tempe, 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 Tempe, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.80 one way
$93.59 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
82 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $49.52 | $99.05 |
| premium | $5.59 | $51.71 | $103.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $51.86 | $103.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 70.5 | 0 | $24.66 | $11.28 |
| Efficient EV | 58.7 | 0 | $20.55 | $9.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 94 | 1 | $32.89 | $15.03 |
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Tempe, AZ
Morning in Tempe on Friday
Local time
7:47 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
51 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 44m 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 Tuba City, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 234.9 miles and takes about 3h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Main Street, Navajo Trail, Cameron-Bitter Springs Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 117.5 miles from Tuba City, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.80 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 is a straightforward 3h 44m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tuba City, AZ to Tempe, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Tuba City, AZ to Tempe, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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