The drive from Wellton, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 171.5 miles and takes about 3h 8m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Blue Star Memorial Highway, South John Wayne Parkway, Maricopa Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 120.3 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.16 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
85.8 miles from Wellton, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 28m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 8m. Total distance: 171.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 8m drive with frequent turns across 171.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 120.3 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 128.2 miles in near AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway.
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 14 significant decision points across 171.5 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 128.2 miles (AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 156.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 165.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
128.2 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway
Turn left onto AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
156.7 mi into trip|~2h 47m in
Turn left toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
165.4 mi into trip|~2h 57m in
Take the exit toward US 60 East: Mesa-Globe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa-Globe
6
165.9 mi into trip|~2h 58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 60 East: Mesa Globe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa Globe
7
169 mi into trip|~3h 3m in
Take the exit toward McClintock Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 175
Toward McClintock Drive
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Blue Star Memorial Highway
120.3 mi
2h
South John Wayne Parkway
14.8 mi
18m
Maricopa Road
11.8 mi
13m
Maricopa Freeway
5.9 mi
6m
Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
5.7 mi
6m
Superstition Freeway
2.4 mi
2m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
2.3 mi
2m
South McClintock Drive
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 120.3 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wellton, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on US 80 Hist
0.1 mi·14 sec·Los Angeles Avenue
2
Continue on US 80 Hist
0.4 mi·52 sec·Los Angeles Avenue
3
Turn right onto William Street
1.0 mi·2 min·William Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
5
Merge onto I 8
120 mi·2 hr·Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Toward AZ 84 East: Maricopa
7
Turn left onto AZ 84
5.7 mi·6 min·Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
8
Turn left onto AZ 347
15 mi·18 min·South John Wayne Parkway
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on AZ 347
12 mi·13 min·Maricopa Road
10
Continue on AZ 347
1.9 mi·2 min·West Queen Creek Road
11
Turn left
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 West: PhoenixUse the left lane.
12
Merge onto I 10
2.3 mi·2 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
13
Continue on I 10
5.9 mi·6 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 154Toward US 60 East: Mesa-GlobeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 154Toward US 60 East: Mesa Globe
16
Merge onto US 60
2.4 mi·2 min·Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Exit 175Toward McClintock DriveUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto South McClintock Drive
2.0 mi·4 min·South McClintock Drive
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
137 ft·10 sec·East Apache Boulevard
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
US 80 Hist
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 85.8 miles from Wellton, AZ, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.3 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 38 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.8 miles or 1h 28m 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 27m
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 Wellton, 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 Wellton, AZ
This is one driving day of about 171.5 miles and 3h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Wellton, 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.
The longest stretch is on Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 120.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 85.8 mi from Wellton, AZ
· 1h 28m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.16 one way
$68.33 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$36.16
$72.31
premium
$5.59
$37.75
$75.50
diesel
$5.61
$37.87
$75.73
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.4
0
$18.01
$8.23
Efficient EV
42.9
0
$15.01
$6.86
EV Truck/SUV
68.6
0
$24.01
$10.98
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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
Wellton, AZ
Morning
in Wellton on Friday
Local time
7:49 AM
MST
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tempe, AZ
Morning
in Tempe on Friday
Local time
7:49 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
38 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 8m 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 Wellton, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 171.5 miles and takes about 3h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Blue Star Memorial Highway, South John Wayne Parkway, Maricopa Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 85.8 miles from Wellton, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.16 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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 171.5 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 128.2 miles (AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 156.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 165.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Wellton, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
