Tempe, AZ to Mohave Valley, AZ is 248.8 miles and takes about 4h 52m via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and Route 95, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, offering a straightforward drive across Arizona. Given its manageable length and single recommended stop, this route is ideal for a same-day journey. You'll experience a mixed drive, transitioning from well-traveled highways to more direct routes as you approach your destination.
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
124.4 miles from Tempe, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
105 mi
1h 45m
Route 95
47.5 mi
55m
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
30.9 mi
35m
Papago Freeway
21 mi
24m
Aqueduct Road
16.5 mi
24m
Red Mountain Freeway
7.5 mi
8m
Mohave Valley Highway
4.8 mi
6m
North Central Boulevard
3.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 105 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tempe, AZ and Mohave Valley, AZ.
1
Start on US 80 Hist
0.2 mi·24 sec·East Apache Boulevard
2
Turn right onto South Una Butte Avenue
321 ft·11 sec·South Una Butte Avenue
3
Turn right
22 ft·1 sec
4
Turn right onto South Butte Avenue
254 ft·10 sec·South Butte Avenue
5
Turn right onto East 12th Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·East 12th Street
6
Turn left onto South McClintock Drive
1.4 mi·2 min·South McClintock Drive
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
8
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
7.5 mi·8 min·Red Mountain Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 WestUse the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 10
1.3 mi·1 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·36 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
12
Continue on I 10
20 mi·22 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
105 mi·1 hr 45 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto I 10 Business
0.4 mi·41 sec·I 10 Business
Toward US 95, AZ 95: Parker, Yuma
15
Turn right onto I 10 Bus
0.1 mi·16 sec·Riggles Road
16
Turn left onto I 10 Bus
1.0 mi·2 min·East Main Street
17
Turn right onto AZ 95
3.1 mi·3 min·North Central Boulevard
18
Continue on AZ 95
20 mi·22 min·Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn left onto AZ 95
11 mi·13 min·Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
20
Continue on AZ 95
1.7 mi·3 min·California Avenue
21
Continue on CA 62
0.4 mi·53 sec·CA 62
22
At end of road, turn left onto CA 62
16 mi·24 min·Aqueduct Road
23
Turn sharp right onto US 95
48 mi·55 min·Route 95
24
Take the exit onto US 95
0.3 mi·19 sec·US 95
25
Merge onto I 40; US 95
0.8 mi·51 sec·Needles Freeway
26
Take the exit
0.3 mi·19 sec
Toward J Street
27
Turn right onto J Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·J Street
28
At end of road, turn left onto Front Street
465 ft·14 sec·Front Street
29
Turn right onto North K Street
0.6 mi·1 min·North K Street
30
Continue on AZ 95
1.2 mi·2 min·Harbor Avenue
31
Continue on AZ 95
4.8 mi·6 min·Mohave Valley Highway
32
Turn right onto Hulet Avenue
1.0 mi·4 min·Hulet Avenue
33
At end of road, turn right onto CR 391; BIA 1
157 ft·8 sec·Mountain View Road
34
Turn right onto Winter Haven Drive
0.6 mi·2 min·Winter Haven Drive
35
Arrive at destination
Winter Haven Drive
Trip Plan
For this 4h 52m drive, leaving Tempe in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and allow for a relaxed pace. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility to decide when and where to take a break. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you get into the longer stretches on highways like the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. Since the entire trip can comfortably be done in a single day, you can depart whenever suits your schedule best, but planning around fuel availability in less populated areas is a smart move.
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 124.4 miles from Tempe, AZ, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105 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 55 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.4 miles or 2h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mohave Valley, 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 248.8 miles and 4h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 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 Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway for about 105 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 24
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 240.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Una Butte Avenue
Turn right onto South Una Butte Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward AZ 202 Loop West
Navigation decision point
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
5
2.2 mi into trip|~5m in|AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.7 mi into trip|~13m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 West
6
240.4 mi into trip|~4h 34m in|Front Street
At end of road, turn left onto Front Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.56 one way
$99.13 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg87 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$52.45
$104.91
premium
$5.59
$54.77
$109.53
diesel
$5.61
$54.93
$109.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
74.6
0
$26.12
$11.94
Efficient EV
62.2
0
$21.77
$9.95
EV Truck/SUV
99.5
1
$34.83
$15.92
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Tempe, AZ
Late night
in Tempe on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Mohave Valley, AZ
Late night
in Mohave Valley on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
MST
Current temp
83°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
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
4h 52m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a mixed drive, with 31% of it utilizing highways. You'll encounter a considerable stretch of 105 miles on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway before transitioning to Route 95 and the Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway. The road generally offers a practical path with varying speeds and road types, so be prepared for a blend of faster highway travel and potentially more local road segments as you get closer to Mohave Valley. It's a functional drive designed to get you there efficiently.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 105 mi on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway.
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 24 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Una Butte Avenue.
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 248.8 miles you will encounter 24 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 0.2 miles (South Una Butte Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
On the drive from Tempe, AZ to Mohave Valley, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Yuma along the way.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 52m. Total distance: 248.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 105 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 22 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Mohave Valley, 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. There are 22 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South Una Butte Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Mohave Valley, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
