Origin
Birmingham, AL
Afternoon in Birmingham on Saturday
Local time
1:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Birmingham, AL to Muscle Shoals, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 13m
Distance
113.3 mi
182 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 4m
★
6 AM
2h 13m
8 AM
2h 32m
10 AM
2h 20m
12 PM
2h 18m
3 PM
2h 21m
5 PM
2h 31m
8 PM
2h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Muscle Shoals, AL
Tolga Ahmetler
Trip Overview
The drive from Birmingham, AL to Muscle Shoals, AL covers 113.3 miles and takes about 2h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on University of North Alabama Highway, I 65, Wheeler Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.4 miles on University of North Alabama Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.11 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
56.7 miles from Birmingham, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University of North Alabama Highway | 55.4 mi | 1h 6m |
| I 65 | 49.7 mi | 54m |
| Wheeler Highway | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Woodward Avenue | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| 6th Avenue North | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| 24th Street North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Section Line Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Avalon Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
University of North Alabama Highway
— 55.4 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Birmingham, AL and Muscle Shoals, AL.
1
Start on 24th Street North
523 ft
·
19 sec
·
24th Street North
2
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Avenue North
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 65 North
4
Merge onto I 65
50 mi
·
54 min
·
I 65
Use the slight left / straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 310
Toward AL 157: Cullman, Moulton
6
Turn left onto AL 157
200 ft
·
3 sec
·
Section Line Road
7
Continue on AL 157
55 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
University of North Alabama Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Merge onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20; AL 157
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Wheeler Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Woodward Avenue
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto Avalon Avenue
49 ft
·
1 sec
·
Avalon Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
Avalon Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 56.7 miles from Birmingham, AL, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.4 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 25 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 56.7 miles or 1h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Muscle Shoals, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Birmingham, AL 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 Birmingham, AL
This is one driving day of about 113.3 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Birmingham, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on University of North Alabama Highway for about 55.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 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 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 56.7 miles from Birmingham, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 111 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
6th Avenue North
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight / slight right lanes.
6
51.1 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward AL 157: Cullman, Moulton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 310
Toward AL 157: Cullman, Moulton
5
106.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 4m in
|
US 72 Alternate; AL 20; AL 157 / Wheeler Highway
Merge onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20; AL 157 / Wheeler Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
111 mi into trip
|
~2h 9m in
|
US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17 / Woodward Avenue
Turn right onto US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17 / Woodward Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.11 one way
$34.22 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
40 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $18.78 | $37.57 |
| premium | $4.56 | $20.34 | $40.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.02 | $50.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34 | 0 | $11.90 | $5.44 |
| Efficient EV | 28.3 | 0 | $9.91 | $4.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.3 | 0 | $15.86 | $7.25 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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
Muscle Shoals, AL
Afternoon in Muscle Shoals on Saturday
Local time
1:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
29 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
2h 13m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
113.3 mi in 2h 13m — 44% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: University of North Alabama Highway.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.4 mi on University of North Alabama Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 6th Avenue North.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 13m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
914 ft
365 ft
Total Climb
581 ft
Total Descent
688 ft
Highest Point
914 ft
~56.7 mi in
Elevation Range
549 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 Birmingham, AL to Muscle Shoals, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Moulton along the way.
Moulton
51.1 mi in
|
~57m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 113.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.4 miles on University of North Alabama Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Muscle Shoals, AL before heading back.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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