Drive Time
8h 11m
Distance
170.3 mi
274 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
The drive from Anchorage, AK to Cordova, AK covers 170.3 miles and takes about 8h 11m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Cordova, Seward Highway, Portage Glacier Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 108.6 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Cordova. At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.06 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
85.2 miles from Anchorage, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 55m into the drive .
Expect a 8h 11m drive with frequent turns across 170.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 4th Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 11m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 7 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 4th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Gambell Street): Navigation decision point; at 49.3 miles (FFH 35 / Portage Glacier Road): Navigation decision point.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto West 4th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Gambell Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto FFH 35 / Portage Glacier Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Adams Avenue
Navigation decision point
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Cordova | 108.6 mi | 6h 45m |
| Seward Highway | 47.1 mi | 57m |
| Portage Glacier Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Portage Glacier Highway | 4.7 mi | 10m |
| West Camp Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Gambell Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West 4th Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 1st Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Anchorage, AK and Cordova, AK.
Start on this road
Turn right onto West 4th Avenue
Turn right onto Gambell Street
Continue on AK 1
Turn left onto FFH 35
Continue on Portage Glacier Highway
Continue on West Camp Road
Turn right
Turn left
Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Cordova
Continue
Turn right
Turn slight right onto Ferry Terminal Access Road
Continue on AK 10
Continue on AK 10
Continue on AK 10
Continue on AK 10
Turn right onto Adams Avenue
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 2h 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.2 miles or 2h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 85.2 miles or 2h 55m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cordova, AK than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Anchorage, AK 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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Anchorage, AK
Aim for roughly 85 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Cordova, AK
Aim for roughly 85 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 85.2 mi from Anchorage, AK · 2h 55m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
85 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Girdwood, AKNight 1
85 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Girdwood, AK after about 85 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 85.2 miles from Anchorage, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Cordova if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 108.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 85 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
The final approach into Cordova, AK usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Cordova, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Cordova, AK with some flexibility left in the schedule.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$37.06 one way
$74.13 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $38.99 | $77.98 |
| premium | $6.02 | $40.38 | $80.75 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $37.83 | $75.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$167–$277
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 51.1 | 0 | $17.88 | $8.17 |
| Efficient EV | 42.6 | 0 | $14.90 | $6.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 68.1 | 0 | $23.84 | $10.90 |
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Afternoon in Anchorage on Saturday
Local time
2:17 PM
AKDT
Current temp
30°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Afternoon in Cordova on Saturday
Local time
2:17 PM
AKDT
Current temp
33°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
29°F
Girdwood, AK
85 mi in
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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