Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Late night in Gilbert on Sunday
Local time
12:33 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Tempe, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
11.4 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gilbert, AZ to Tempe, AZ is 11.4 miles and takes about 19m via Superstition Freeway and North Gilbert Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short jaunt stays within the Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive between two Arizona cities. It's a convenient trip for locals or those looking to connect two nearby areas without a significant time commitment. Consider this route when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently within this part of Arizona.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| North Gilbert Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| East Broadway Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South McClintock Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Price Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Elm Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Vaughn Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Price Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 4.5 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Elm Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto East Vaughn Avenue
440 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Vaughn Avenue
4
Turn right onto North Gilbert Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Gilbert Road
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto US 60
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Superstition Freeway
7
Take the exit
1.6 mi
·
2 min
Exit 176B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Price Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 53
Toward Broadway Road, Apache Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn straight onto South Price Road
302 ft
·
7 sec
·
South Price Road
11
Turn left onto East Broadway Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Broadway Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto South McClintock Drive
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
South McClintock Drive
13
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
137 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Apache Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
US 80 Hist
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Elm Street
Turn left onto North Elm Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Vaughn Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East Vaughn Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
7
7.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 176B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
8
9.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Broadway Road, Apache Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 53
Toward Broadway Road, Apache Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.27 one way
$4.54 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $2.40 | $4.81 |
| premium | $5.59 | $2.51 | $5.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.52 | $5.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.00 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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, AZ
Late night in Tempe on Sunday
Local time
12:33 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
19m 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?
This drive features a mixed profile, with 43% of the journey on highways. You'll experience stretches of faster-paced freeway driving, including a notable 4.5-mile segment on the Superstition Freeway. The route also incorporates local roads like North Gilbert Road and East Broadway Road, which may offer a different pace and driving experience. Expect a blend of urban and suburban landscapes as you transition between these two Arizona locales.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.5 mi on Superstition Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Elm Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 11.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Elm Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East Vaughn Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Gilbert, AZ
Full guide →Gilbert is in the southeast valley of the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona. With a population of 270,000 (2021 est.) it is the largest town in the US. people. Once a railway town and the "Hay Capital of the World", Gilbert is now a diverse suburban center, retaining its agricultural and railroad history and celebrating its "small town" feel.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 11.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.5 miles on Superstition 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, 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: near the start (North Elm Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East Vaughn Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. 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, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Tempe, AZ
More trips to Tempe, AZ
Explore more options from Gilbert, AZ or browse trips ending in Tempe, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.