Origin
Cave Creek, AZ
Late night in Cave Creek on Sunday
Local time
3:03 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cave Creek, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
35.1 mi
57 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cave Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This 37.2-mile drive from Cave Creek, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is a short, manageable trip that can easily be completed in about 47 minutes. It's perfect for a single-day excursion, so no overnight stays are necessary. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with East Cave Creek Road and North Scottsdale Road being key thoroughfares. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $7. Given its brevity and local road nature, this route offers a relaxed pace through the Desert Southwest region of Arizona, making it a straightforward addition to any travel plans.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pima Freeway | 16.2 mi | 18m |
| North Scottsdale Road | 10.3 mi | 16m |
| North Tom Darlington Drive | 2 mi | 4m |
| East Cave Creek Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| South Rural Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Apache Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 13th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pima Freeway
— 16.2 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cave Creek, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on East Cave Creek Road
206 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Cave Creek Road
2
Continue on East Cave Creek Road
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
East Cave Creek Road
3
Turn slight right
171 ft
·
7 sec
Toward North Tom Darlington Drive
4
Turn straight onto North Tom Darlington Drive
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Tom Darlington Drive
5
Turn straight onto North Tom Darlington Drive
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Tom Darlington Drive
6
Continue on North Scottsdale Road
9.8 mi
·
15 min
·
North Scottsdale Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop East
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 51
Toward AZ 202 Loop West, AZ 202 Loop East: Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 7
Toward Scottsdale Road, Rural Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
400 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Arizona State University-Tempe
Use the left lane.
14
Turn slight left onto North Scottsdale Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Scottsdale Road
15
Continue on South Rural Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Rural Road
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto US 80 Hist
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Apache Boulevard
17
Turn left onto East 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
East 13th Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Cave Creek, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 13.6 and 32.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
13.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Turn left toward AZ 101 Loop East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward AZ 101 Loop East
8
30.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop West, AZ 202 Loop East: Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward AZ 202 Loop West, AZ 202 Loop East: Airp...
7
30.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
8
32.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Scottsdale Road, Rural Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7
Toward Scottsdale Road, Rural Road
7
32.6 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Arizona State University-Tempe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Arizona State University-Tempe
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.99 one way
$13.98 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.40 | $14.80 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.73 | $15.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Sunday
Local time
3:03 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
54m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share. The entire 37.2 miles will keep you engaged with frequent turns and navigation through local streets. Since there's no significant highway portion, the longest uninterrupted stretch is not applicable. This means you'll be consistently on roads that require your attention, moving through various local areas rather than settling into a long, monotonous highway cruise. The character of the drive is defined by its constant engagement and the need to navigate community roads.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.2 mi on Pima Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 35.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 30.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Cave Creek, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Arizona State University-Tempe along the way.
Arizona State University-Tempe
32.6 mi in
|
~48m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on Pima Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Tempe Junction, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 30.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tempe Junction, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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