Origin
Yuma, AZ
Late night in Yuma on Monday
Local time
2:24 AM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Drive Time
3h 3m
Distance
186.7 mi
300 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 52m
★
6 AM
3h 3m
8 AM
3h 26m
10 AM
3h 11m
12 PM
3h 9m
3 PM
3h 12m
5 PM
3h 25m
8 PM
2h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yuma, AZ
cottonbro studio
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 186.7 miles and takes about 3h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Winterhaven Drive, Kumeyaay Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.16 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
93.3 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 31m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 3m drive with frequent turns across 186.7 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.
Winterhaven Drive 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is easy. At 3h 3m 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 Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Winterhaven Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Kumeyaay Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| AZ 84 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South John Wayne Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Maricopa Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Queen Creek Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Winterhaven Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on North 4th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
North 4th Avenue
2
Continue on Winterhaven Drive
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Winterhaven Drive
3
Take the ramp slight right
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Kumeyaay Highway
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Kumeyaay Highway
5
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
151 mi
·
2 hr 36 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit slight right toward AZ 84 East: Maricopa
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
AZ 84 East: Maricopa
7
Turn left onto Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
8
Turn left onto South John Wayne Parkway
15 mi
·
18 min
·
South John Wayne Parkway
9
Continue on Maricopa Road
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Road
10
Continue on West Queen Creek Road
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Queen Creek Road
11
Turn left onto I 10 West: Phoenix
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 West: Phoenix
12
Merge slight left onto Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
13
Continue on Maricopa Freeway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
14
Take the exit slight right toward Baseline Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Baseline Road
15
Turn right onto West Baseline Road
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
West Baseline Road
16
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Priest Drive
17
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway Road
18
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roosevelt Street
19
At the end of the road, turn right onto West 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
West 13th Street
20
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 93.3 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 1h 31m 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 80 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.3 miles or 1h 31m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe Junction, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yuma, 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 Yuma, AZ
This is one driving day of about 186.7 miles and 3h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Yuma, 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 93.3 mi from Yuma, AZ · 1h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
93 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 93.3 miles from Yuma, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe Junction, AZ
The final approach into Tempe Junction, 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 Junction, 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
$37.16 one way
$74.31 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
65 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $39.24 | $78.47 |
| premium | $5.59 | $41.07 | $82.13 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $41.48 | $82.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 56 | 0 | $19.60 | $8.96 |
| Efficient EV | 46.7 | 0 | $16.34 | $7.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 74.7 | 0 | $26.14 | $11.95 |
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Monday
Local time
2:24 AM
MST
Current temp
60°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
1 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 3m 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 Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 186.7 miles and takes about 3h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Winterhaven Drive, Kumeyaay Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 93.3 miles from Yuma, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.16 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.
The drive from Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is easy. At 3h 3m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Yuma, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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