Origin
Tempe Junction, AZ
Night in Tempe Junction on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tempe Junction, AZ to Fountain Hills, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.6 mi
38 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Fountain Hills, AZ
Brent Singleton
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick getaway in the Desert Southwest, the 23.6-mile trek from Tempe Junction to Fountain Hills is an ideal one-day excursion. Expect to spend about 34 minutes behind the wheel, making this a highly efficient trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Red Mountain Freeway and the Beeline Highway. With a modest fuel budget of $5, this route is as economical as it is convenient. Whether you are running errands or just changing your scenery, this short transition between Arizona locales offers a straightforward travel experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Beeline Highway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| North Beeline Highway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| North Saguaro Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| South Rural Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Apache Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Shea Boulevard | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| North Country Club Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Beeline Highway
— 6.7 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tempe Junction, AZ and Fountain Hills, AZ.
1
Start on West 13th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 13th Street
2
Turn straight onto US 80 Hist
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Apache Boulevard
3
Turn left onto South Rural Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Rural Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on North Scottsdale Road
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Scottsdale Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop East: Red Mountain Freeway
6
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 13
Toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn left onto AZ 87
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Country Club Drive
9
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10
Continue on AZ 87
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto East Shea Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
East Shea Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto North Saguaro Boulevard
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
North Saguaro Boulevard
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto East La Montana Drive
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
East La Montana Drive
14
Turn right onto North Hamilton Drive
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Hamilton Drive
15
Arrive at destination
North Hamilton Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 20.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Rural Road
Turn left onto South Rural Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m 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.
8
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
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 13
Toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
6
19.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
East Shea Boulevard
Turn left onto East Shea Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
20.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
North Saguaro Boulevard
Turn right onto North Saguaro Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.70 one way
$9.40 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $4.98 | $9.95 |
| premium | $5.59 | $5.19 | $10.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Fountain Hills, AZ
Night in Fountain Hills on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
MST
Current temp
88°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
34m 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 23.6-mile journey functions as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a mindless highway slog. Only 20% of your travel time will be spent on highways, meaning you should prepare for frequent maneuvering as you transition between local roads. You will find your longest uninterrupted stretch of driving on the Beeline Highway, which spans 6.7 miles. The personality of the road shifts as you navigate off the Red Mountain Freeway and onto the North Beeline Highway. Expect a dynamic experience that keeps you engaged with the steering wheel throughout the short 34-minute duration.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.7 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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near South Rural Road.
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 23.6 miles you will encounter 8 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 miles (South Rural Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,600 ft
1,137 ft
Total Climb
478 ft
Total Descent
52 ft
Highest Point
1,600 ft
~22.6 mi in
Elevation Range
463 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Junction, AZ to Fountain Hills, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Payson along the way.
Payson
7.5 mi in
|
~12m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.7 miles on Beeline Highway. 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 Fountain Hills, 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 1 miles (South Rural Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fountain Hills, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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