Tempe, AZ to Houck, AZ is 238.7 miles and takes about 4h 48m via Beeline Highway and AZ 260, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, offering a straightforward drive across Arizona. With a recommended one-day itinerary, you'll find this route is primarily surface roads, making it a relaxed pace for most drivers. It's a practical choice if you're looking for a direct path across a portion of the state without extensive highway time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
119.3 miles from Tempe, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Beeline Highway
68.4 mi
1h 20m
Purple Heart Trail
60.5 mi
1h
AZ 260
53 mi
1h 11m
Heber Road
30.9 mi
36m
West 3rd Street North
4.9 mi
6m
North Beeline Highway
4.2 mi
4m
Heber-Holbrook Highway
2.9 mi
3m
East McDowell Road
2.6 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Beeline Highway
— 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tempe, AZ and Houck, AZ.
1
Start on US 80 Hist
0.2 mi·27 sec·East Apache Boulevard
2
Continue on US 80 Hist
1.3 mi·2 min·East Apache Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto South Price Road
1.0 mi·1 min·South Price Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on this road
0.4 mi·50 sec·this road
Toward AZ 101 Loop NorthUse the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
1.7 mi·1 min·Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 49Toward McDowell RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto East McDowell Road
2.6 mi·4 min·East McDowell Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto AZ 87
4.2 mi·4 min·North Beeline Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Continue on AZ 87
68 mi·1 hr 20 min·Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto AZ 260
53 mi·1 hr 11 min·AZ 260
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto AZ 277
1.9 mi·3 min·Highway 277
12
Continue on AZ 277
4.9 mi·6 min·West 3rd Street North
13
Turn left onto AZ 377
2.9 mi·3 min·Heber-Holbrook Highway
14
Turn straight onto AZ 377
31 mi·36 min·Heber Road
15
Turn left onto AZ 77
1.6 mi·2 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
16
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi·56 sec·Holbrook-Springerville Highway
17
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.9 mi·1 min·Navajo Boulevard
18
Take the exit onto AZ 77
0.6 mi·1 min·AZ 77
19
Merge onto I 40; AZ 77
60 mi·1 hr·Purple Heart Trail
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·50 sec
Toward Houck
21
Turn left
0.1 mi·18 sec
22
Continue on St. Anslem Road
495 ft·19 sec·St. Anslem Road
23
Turn sharp right onto North Frontage Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·North Frontage Road
24
Arrive at destination
North Frontage Road
Trip Plan
For this 4h 48m drive, leaving Tempe in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight. You'll have one recommended stop, so plan to take that break about halfway through your journey. Given the route is mostly surface roads, be mindful of speed limits and potential traffic signals, especially as you near towns. Fuel costs are estimated at $42, so ensure your tank is full before you depart, as services might be more spread out on the surface road sections. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility to adjust your departure time if needed.
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 119.3 miles from Tempe, AZ, or about 2h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.4 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 53 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.3 miles or 2h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Houck, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tempe, 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 Tempe, AZ
This is one driving day of about 238.7 miles and 4h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Tempe, 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.
The longest stretch is on Beeline Highway for about 68.4 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 238.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|South Price Road
Turn left onto South Price Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.8 mi into trip|~5m in|AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
4.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward McDowell Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 49
Toward McDowell Road
5
5 mi into trip|~8m in|East McDowell Road
Turn right onto East McDowell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
238.4 mi into trip|~4h 47m in|North Frontage Road
Turn sharp right onto North Frontage Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.30 one way
$84.60 round trip
$4.50/gal25.4 MPG avg84 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.82
$45.30
$90.59
premium
$5.04
$47.38
$94.77
diesel
$4.80
$45.07
$90.14
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.6
0
$25.06
$11.46
Efficient EV
59.7
0
$20.89
$9.55
EV Truck/SUV
95.5
1
$33.42
$15.28
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Tempe, AZ
Night
in Tempe on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
MST
Current temp
107°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 5 to 10 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 15 at 10:44AM MST until July 16 at 9:00PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 15 at 10:44AM MST until July 17 at 5:00AM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
Destination
Houck, AZ
Late night
in Houck on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
89°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
SW 6 mph72% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 15 at 10:44AM MST until July 16 at 9:00PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 15 at 10:44AM MST until July 17 at 5:00AM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
18 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
4h 48m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Petrified Forest National Park
National Park
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
$25
near mile 197.5
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
$10
near mile 32.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a relatively low highway share of 24%, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on a single highway segment is 68.4 miles along the Beeline Highway. After this, you'll transition to AZ 260, which is also largely surface road driving. Expect more frequent intersections and varying speed limits as you move between these road types, rather than sustained high-speed cruising.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.4 mi on Beeline Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near South Price Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 238.7 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 1.4 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
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.
Top landmarks
•Tempe Butte — mountain in United States of America
•Arizona State University Art Museum — art museum in Tempe, Arizona
•Gammage Memorial Auditorium — performing arts center in Tempe, Arizona
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 48m. Total distance: 238.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.4 miles on Beeline Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Houck, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Petrified Forest National Park and Tonto National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Houck, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
