Origin
Belview Heights, AL
Afternoon in Belview Heights on Thursday
Local time
12:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belview Heights, AL to Leighton, AL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
15m
Distance
11 mi
18 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
5 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belview Heights, AL
mori dad
Leighton, AL
mori dad
Trip Overview
The drive from Belview Heights, AL to Leighton, AL covers 11 miles and takes about 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Lee Highway, Wheeler Highway, County Line Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.6 miles on East Lee Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 11 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
5 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: excellent.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 15m drive with frequent turns across 11 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 6 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Lee Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 4 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Ridge Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 11 miles you will encounter 4 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 0.2 miles (East Ridge Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 72 / East Lee Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Ridge Avenue
Turn left onto East Ridge Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 72 / East Lee Highway
At end of road, turn right onto US 72 / East Lee Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
5.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
6
9.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
County Line Road
Turn left onto County Line Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Belview Heights, AL and Leighton, AL, road signs point toward Decatur and Joe Wheeler State Park.
Decatur
5.8 mi in
|
~8m
|
via US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Joe Wheeler State Park
5.8 mi in
|
~8m
|
via US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Lee Highway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Wheeler Highway | 4 mi | 4m |
| County Line Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Hemlock Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Ridge Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Lee Highway
— 5.6 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belview Heights, AL and Leighton, AL.
1
Start on East Hemlock Street
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Hemlock Street
2
Turn left onto East Ridge Avenue
353 ft
·
18 sec
·
East Ridge Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 72
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
East Lee Highway
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Wheeler Highway
Toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Turn left onto County Line Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
County Line Road
Use the left lane.
6
Arrive at destination
County Line Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 5.5 mi from Belview Heights, AL · 7m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
6 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 5.5 miles from Belview Heights, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Leighton, AL
The final approach into Leighton, AL 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 Leighton, AL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.66 one way
$3.32 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.82 | $3.65 |
| premium | $4.56 | $1.97 | $3.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.43 | $4.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
5 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
ChargePoint Charging Station
Tuscumbia, Alabama
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Red E Charging Station
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Other
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Tuscumbia, Alabama
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Tuscumbia, Alabama
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Red E Charging Station
Tuscumbia, Alabama
Other
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 3
Other: 2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.53 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.96 | $0.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.70 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Leighton, AL
Afternoon in Leighton on Thursday
Local time
12:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
31 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
15m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Belview Heights, AL to Leighton, AL covers 11 miles and takes about 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Lee Highway, Wheeler Highway, County Line Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.5 miles from Belview Heights, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.66 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 11 miles you will encounter 4 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: at 0.2 miles (East Ridge Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 72 / East Lee Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Belview Heights, AL and Leighton, AL, road signs point toward Decatur and Joe Wheeler State Park.
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