The drive from Auburn, ME to Mapleton, ME covers 256.1 miles and takes about 5h 3m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maine Turnpike, Aroostook Scenic Highway, Masardis Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 182.7 miles on Maine Turnpike.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
128 miles from Auburn, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 17m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 3m. Total distance: 256.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 3m highway drive covering 256.1 miles, with most of the trip on Maine Turnpike and Aroostook Scenic Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 182.7 miles on Maine Turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maine Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 182.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and Aroostook Scenic Highway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 256.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (ME 196 / Canal Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 22.8 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street
Turn right onto US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|ME 196 / Canal Street
Turn sharp right onto ME 196 / Canal Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
22.8 mi into trip|~26m in|I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Maine Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
186.3 mi into trip|~3h 18m in
Take the exit toward ME 158: Sherman, Patten
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 264
Toward ME 158: Sherman, Patten
5
186.6 mi into trip|~3h 19m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
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 Auburn, ME to Mapleton, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Patten along the way.
Patten
186.3 mi in|~3h 18m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Maine Turnpike
182.7 mi
3h 12m
Aroostook Scenic Highway
30.2 mi
44m
Masardis Road
11.7 mi
17m
Presque Isle Road
7.3 mi
10m
Station Road
5.2 mi
7m
Haystack Road
5.1 mi
7m
North Road
4.4 mi
6m
South Patten Road
3.2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 182.7 mi, about 3h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, ME and Mapleton, ME.
1
Start on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100
40 ft·4 sec·Minot Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 202; ME 11; ME 100
0.4 mi·37 sec·Court Street
3
Continue on US 202; ME 11; ME 100
0.3 mi·27 sec·Main Street
4
Turn sharp right onto ME 196
0.8 mi·1 min·Canal Street
5
Merge onto ME 196
1.5 mi·1 min·Lisbon Street
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
7
Turn straight onto Alfred A Plourde Parkway
0.2 mi·18 sec·Alfred A Plourde Parkway
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
9
Merge onto I 95
19 mi·20 min·Maine Turnpike
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
163 mi·2 hr 52 min·Maine Turnpike
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Exit 264Toward ME 158: Sherman, Patten
12
Keep slight left at fork
70 ft·2 sec
13
Turn left onto Main Street
0.4 mi·32 sec·Main Street
14
Continue on Station Road
1.7 mi·2 min·Station Road
15
Continue on Route 11
0.2 mi·15 sec·Route 11
16
Continue on ME 11
3.5 mi·5 min·Station Road
17
Continue on ME 11
3.2 mi·4 min·South Patten Road
18
Continue on ME 11
1.1 mi·2 min·Main Street
19
Continue on ME 11
4.4 mi·6 min·North Road
20
Continue on ME 11
30 mi·44 min·Aroostook Scenic Highway
21
Continue on ME 11
12 mi·17 min·Masardis Road
22
Continue on ME 11
0.1 mi·16 sec·Main Street
23
Turn right onto ME 163
7.3 mi·10 min·Presque Isle Road
24
Continue on ME 163
5.1 mi·7 min·Haystack Road
25
Continue on ME 163
0.5 mi·45 sec·Main Street
26
Arrive at destination
ME 163
Trip Plan
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 128 miles from Auburn, ME, or about 2h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 182.7 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 56 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128 miles or 2h 17m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mapleton, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Auburn, ME 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 Auburn, ME
This is one driving day of about 256.1 miles and 5h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Auburn, ME.
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 Maine Turnpike for about 182.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 128 mi from Auburn, ME
· 2h 17m into the drive
The midpoint is around 128 miles from Auburn, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Maine Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 182.7 miles.
Arriving in Mapleton, ME
The final approach into Mapleton, ME 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 Mapleton, ME.
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
National Monument
Spread across a wild landscape offering spectacular views of Katahdin, Katahdin Woods and Waters invites discovery of its rivers, streams, woods, flora, fauna, geology, and the night skies that have a...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 194.3
Park Closure: Loop Road and North Entrance Seasonal Closures
Park Closure: Katahdin Overlook Construction Closure
Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standard...
20 mi from route
~50 min detour
Free
near mile 26.5
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.8
0
$26.89
$12.29
Efficient EV
64
0
$22.41
$10.24
EV Truck/SUV
102.4
1
$35.85
$16.39
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 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 15, 2026
Origin
Auburn, ME
Evening
in Auburn on Friday
Local time
8:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Mapleton, ME
Evening
in Mapleton on Friday
Local time
8:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
29°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
32°F
Lincoln, ME
128 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.
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
21 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
5h 3m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Auburn, ME to Mapleton, ME covers 256.1 miles and takes about 5h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maine Turnpike, Aroostook Scenic Highway, Masardis Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 128 miles from Auburn, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.23 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 256.1 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 202; ME 11; ME 100 / Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (ME 196 / Canal Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 22.8 miles (I 95 / Maine Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Auburn, ME to Mapleton, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Patten along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
