Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is 107.5 miles and takes about 2 hours 2 minutes via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, with a fuel budget near $21 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Desert Southwest, traversing Arizona for its entirety. Expect a local drive with frequent turns rather than a straightforward highway cruise. With a recommended single day for completion, this route is ideal for those who prefer a more engaged driving experience over a long, uninterrupted stretch. It’s a practical choice for a single-day journey within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.7 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
49.8 mi
50m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38.1 mi
38m
East River Road
7.7 mi
13m
Maricopa Freeway
5.8 mi
6m
South Priest Drive
2 mi
4m
North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi
3m
West Broadway Road
0.7 mi
1m
South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 49.8 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Catalina Foothills, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi·3 min·North Hacienda del Sol Road
2
Turn right onto East River Road
7.7 mi·13 min·East River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road
0.3 mi·39 sec·West Orange Grove Road
4
Turn right onto North Casa Grande Highway
0.1 mi·13 sec·North Casa Grande Highway
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 10 West
6
Merge onto I 10
50 mi·50 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
5.8 mi·6 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Exit 155Toward Baseline RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto West Baseline Road
0.2 mi·34 sec·West Baseline Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
2.0 mi·4 min·South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
0.7 mi·1 min·West Broadway Road
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Roosevelt Street
Use the left lane.
14
At end of road, turn right onto West 13th Street
0.3 mi·47 sec·West 13th Street
15
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2-hour duration and the 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile, starting your journey in the morning is advisable to allow ample time for navigation and potential minor delays. The fuel cost is estimated at $21, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before departing, especially since there are no designated stops mentioned. Keep an eye on your GPS, as the frequent turns on roads like East River Road can require close attention. This is a manageable drive for a single day, so you have the flexibility to depart when convenient, but an early start will make for a more relaxed experience.
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 53.7 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.8 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 24 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.7 miles or 1h 2m 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 37m
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 Catalina Foothills, 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 Catalina Foothills, AZ
This is one driving day of about 107.5 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 49.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 106.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in|East River Road
Turn right onto East River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
103.4 mi into trip|~1h 53m in
Take the exit toward Baseline Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 155
Toward Baseline Road
6
103.9 mi into trip|~1h 54m in|South Priest Drive
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
106 mi into trip|~1h 58m in|West Broadway Road
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
106.7 mi into trip|~2h in|South Roosevelt Street
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.42 one way
$42.83 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$22.66
$45.33
premium
$5.59
$23.66
$47.33
diesel
$5.61
$23.73
$47.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.6 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
32.3
0
$11.29
$5.16
Efficient EV
26.9
0
$9.41
$4.30
EV Truck/SUV
43
0
$15.05
$6.88
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Morning
in Catalina Foothills on Sunday
Local time
6:28 AM
MST
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Morning
in Tempe Junction on Sunday
Local time
6:28 AM
MST
Current temp
89°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
34 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
2h 2m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 66.7
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating more intersections and changes in direction than you might on a pure interstate route. While 5% of the drive is on highways, the majority involves local roads. The longest stretch without a turn is 49.8 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. You'll be utilizing roads like the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, interspersed with East River Road, giving the drive a varied feel as you transition between different types of thoroughfares.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.8 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near East River Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 2m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (East River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 103.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.9 miles (South Priest Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.8 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (East River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 103.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.9 miles (South Priest Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tempe Junction, AZ before heading back.
