This 114.1-mile journey from Tempe Junction, AZ, to Cornville, AZ, will take you approximately 2 hours and 11 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Arizona Veterans Highway and the Black Canyon Freeway before transitioning to East Cornville Road. With a fuel cost estimated at $23, this drive through the Desert Southwest offers a mixed driving experience. It’s a straightforward route that doesn’t require an overnight stay, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.1 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Arizona Veterans Highway
44.4 mi
44m
Black Canyon Freeway
41.3 mi
45m
East Cornville Road
9.2 mi
16m
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
8.9 mi
9m
Maricopa Freeway
7.3 mi
8m
West Broadway Road
1.5 mi
2m
South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
1m
West 13th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Arizona Veterans Highway
— 44.4 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tempe Junction, AZ and Cornville, AZ.
1
Start on West 13th Street
0.3 mi·55 sec·West 13th Street
2
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Roosevelt Street
3
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
1.3 mi·2 min·West Broadway Road
4
Continue on West Broadway Road
0.2 mi·30 sec·West Broadway Road
5
Take the ramp
0.6 mi·1 min
6
Merge onto I 10; US 60
3.1 mi·3 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60
4.2 mi·4 min·Maricopa Freeway
Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: FlagstaffUse the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 17; US 60
41 mi·45 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 17
8.9 mi·9 min·Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 17
13 mi·13 min·Arizona Veterans Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 17
31 mi·31 min·Arizona Veterans Highway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Toward Rimrock, McGuiveville, Lake Montesuma Well, Cornville Road, Dry Beaver Creek
13
Turn left onto CR 30
9.2 mi·16 min·East Cornville Road
14
Arrive at destination
CR 30
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 2 hour and 11 minute duration, you can comfortably depart Tempe Junction, AZ, anytime. This route is only 114.1 miles, so there's no need to split the drive; flexibility is your advantage. Keep an eye on your fuel, with an estimated cost of $23 for the trip. While there are no specific stops noted, consider a brief pause around the halfway point to stretch your legs. A key tip for this drive is to be aware of the transition from the Black Canyon Freeway to East Cornville Road, as this marks a change in road type and potential speed limits.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 57.1 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.4 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 25 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.1 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cornville, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tempe Junction, 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 Junction, AZ
This is one driving day of about 114.1 miles and 2h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Tempe Junction, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Arizona Veterans Highway for about 44.4 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 104.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|South Roosevelt Street
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|West Broadway Road
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.8 mi into trip|~6m in|I 10; US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
5.9 mi into trip|~9m in|US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60 / Maricopa Freeway toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
5
104.7 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Take the exit toward Rimrock, McGuiveville, Lake Montesuma Well, Cornville Road, Dry Beaver Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Rimrock, McGuiveville, Lake Montesuma We...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.73 one way
$45.46 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$24.06
$48.11
premium
$5.59
$25.12
$50.23
diesel
$5.61
$25.19
$50.38
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.2
0
$11.98
$5.48
Efficient EV
28.5
0
$9.98
$4.56
EV Truck/SUV
45.6
0
$15.97
$7.30
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 21, 2026
Origin
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night
in Tempe Junction on Tuesday
Local time
2:00 AM
MST
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
WNW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cornville, AZ
Late night
in Cornville on Tuesday
Local time
2:00 AM
MST
Current temp
44°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
23 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
2h 11m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
$10
near mile 114.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a mixed driving profile, with 43% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of faster freeway driving interspersed with other road types. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 44.4 miles, primarily on the Arizona Veterans Highway, offering a good opportunity to settle in. As you progress, the road character shifts, transitioning from the Black Canyon Freeway to the more local East Cornville Road as you approach your destination.
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: 44.4 mi on Arizona Veterans Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near South Roosevelt Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 11m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (South Roosevelt Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (West Broadway Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 10; US 60 / Maricopa 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.
Between Tempe Junction, AZ and Cornville, AZ, road signs point toward Rimrock, Mcguiveville, Lake Montesuma Well and Dry Beaver Creek.
Rimrock
104.7 mi in|~1h 54m
Mcguiveville
104.7 mi in|~1h 54m
Lake Montesuma Well
104.7 mi in|~1h 54m
Dry Beaver Creek
104.7 mi in|~1h 54m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 11m. Total distance: 114.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.4 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (South Roosevelt Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (West Broadway Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 10; US 60 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cornville, AZ before heading back.
