Origin
Maricopa, AZ
Late night in Maricopa on Tuesday
Local time
1:57 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maricopa, AZ to Tempe, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
30.8 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maricopa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 30.8-mile drive from Maricopa, AZ, to Tempe, AZ, is easily manageable in about 42 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The majority of your journey will be on well-maintained roads, with a 35% share of highway driving. You can expect a fuel cost of around $6 for this short hop within the Desert Southwest region. With no recommended stops, this route is all about efficient travel between two points in Arizona. It's an uncomplicated option for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa Road | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| Superstition Freeway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| North John Wayne Parkway | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| South McClintock Drive | 2 mi | 4m |
| West Queen Creek Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| East Apache Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maricopa Road
— 11.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maricopa, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 347
124 ft
·
3 sec
·
North John Wayne Parkway
2
Continue on AZ 347
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on AZ 347
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Road
4
Continue on AZ 347
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Queen Creek Road
5
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
7
Continue on I 10
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa-Globe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa Globe
10
Merge onto US 60
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 175
Toward McClintock Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto South McClintock Drive
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South McClintock Drive
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 15.9 and 28.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Turn left toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
24.6 mi into trip
|
~31m 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
25.2 mi into trip
|
~32m 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
5
25.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 60 / Superstition Freeway
Merge onto US 60 / Superstition Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28.3 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.14 one way
$12.27 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.49 | $12.99 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.80 | $13.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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 Tuesday
Local time
1:57 AM
MST
Current temp
84°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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
42m 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 mixed driving experience on this route, blending highway speeds with more local road conditions. You'll spend a portion of the 30.8 miles on the Maricopa Freeway and Superstition Freeway, but also navigate roads like Maricopa Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.8 miles on Maricopa Road, offering a consistent pace before you transition back to freeway conditions. The highway share is about 35%, indicating a balanced mix rather than a pure interstate cruise.
35% 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: 11.8 mi on Maricopa Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 15.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 30.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in Maricopa, AZ
Full guide →Founded 2003
Arriving in Tempe, AZ
Full guide →Tempe is a city of 180,587 (2020) in the Greater Phoenix area of Arizona, best known as the home of Arizona State University (ASU). Its younger, student-heavy population allows it to offer a vibrant nightlife that is relatively rare in Arizona.
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 42m. Total distance: 30.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). 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 11.8 miles on Maricopa Road. 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: at 15.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
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