Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
48.9 mi
79 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Arrowhead, ME
Ira Bowman
The drive from Auburn, ME to Lake Arrowhead, ME covers 48.9 miles and takes about 1h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maine Turnpike, Chadbourne Road, Bonny Eagle Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.5 miles on Maine Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.87 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 48.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 1h 19m drive with frequent turns across 48.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.1 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 17 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward US 202, ME 115, ME 4: Grey, New Gloucester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto High Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn right onto ME 117 / Cape Road
Navigation decision point
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Auburn, ME to Lake Arrowhead, ME, road signs begin pointing toward New Gloucester along the way.
New Gloucester
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 11.5 mi | 12m |
| Chadbourne Road | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| Bonny Eagle Road | 6.1 mi | 10m |
| Washington Street | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Tandberg Trail | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| West Gray Road | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Plains Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Cape Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, ME and Lake Arrowhead, ME.
Start on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
Continue on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
Turn slight left onto US 202; ME 4; ME 100
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 202; ME 4
Continue on ME 115
Continue on Chadbourne Road
Continue on ME 35
Continue on ME 35
Continue on Sokokis Trail
Continue on Bonny Eagle Road
Keep slight right at fork onto High Street
Continue on Plains Road
Turn right onto ME 117
Turn left onto Doles Ridge Road
Turn left onto New Dam Road
Turn right onto Old Portland Road
Turn right onto Crescent Drive
Turn right onto Pioneer Circle
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.5 mi from Auburn, ME · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Auburn, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Lake Arrowhead, ME usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$7.87 one way
$15.74 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.66 | $17.32 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.36 | $18.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.80 | $21.59 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.69
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.13 | $2.35 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.85 | $3.13 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Auburn on Friday
Local time
3:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Destination
Late night in Lake Arrowhead on Friday
Local time
3:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
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
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.
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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