Origin
Birmingham, AL
Afternoon in Birmingham on Friday
Local time
4:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Birmingham, AL to Whitesboro, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
69.7 mi
112 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Whitesboro, AL
Sarah O'Shea
Trip Overview
Birmingham, AL to Whitesboro, AL is 69.7 miles and takes about 1h 24m via I 59 and Leeth Gap Road, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, specifically in Alabama. The drive is primarily highway-focused, making it a straightforward journey. It's a good option if you're looking for a quick, uncomplicated drive between these two points without needing an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 69.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is characterized by its highway-focused profile, with 84% of the journey taking place on faster roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 57.8 miles on I 59, offering a consistent pace for a good portion of the drive. While much of the trip is on the interstate, the inclusion of roads like Leeth Gap Road and Messer Airport Highway suggests a transition to more local routes as you approach your destination. Expect a blend of steady interstate cruising and potentially more winding, slower sections near the end.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 59 is the longest continuous segment at about 57.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 59 and Leeth Gap Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Avenue North.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.7 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 (5th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; near the start (5th Avenue North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Avenue North
Turn right onto 5th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Avenue North
Keep slight left at fork onto 5th Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 20 East, I 59 North: Gadsden, Atlanta
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 20 East, I 59 North: Gadsden, Atlanta
7
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 59
Keep slight left at fork onto I 59 toward I 59 North: Gadsden
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 59 North: Gadsden
5
61.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 59 | 57.8 mi | 1h 2m |
| Leeth Gap Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| Messer Airport Highway | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Bruton Gap Road | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Duck Springs Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Noccalula Parkway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue North | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| I 20 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 59
— 57.8 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Birmingham, AL and Whitesboro, AL.
1
Start on 24th Street North
46 ft
·
3 sec
·
24th Street North
2
Turn right onto 5th Avenue North
188 ft
·
3 sec
·
5th Avenue North
3
Keep slight left at fork onto 5th Avenue North
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
5th Avenue North
4
Continue on Messer Airport Highway
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Messer Airport Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 20 East, I 59 North: Gadsden, Atlanta
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 20; I 59
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 20; I 59
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 59
58 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
I 59
Toward I 59 North: Gadsden
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward AL 211: Noccalula Falls Park
9
Keep slight left at fork
128 ft
·
4 sec
10
Turn left onto AL 211
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Noccalula Parkway
11
Continue on Bruton Gap Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Bruton Gap Road
12
At end of road, turn right onto Duck Springs Road
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Duck Springs Road
13
Turn left onto Leeth Gap Road
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Leeth Gap Road
14
Turn left onto Whitesboro Road
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Whitesboro Road
15
Arrive at destination
Whitesboro Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.8 mi from Birmingham, AL · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.8 miles from Birmingham, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Whitesboro, AL
The final approach into Whitesboro, AL 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.53 one way
$21.05 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.56 | $23.11 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.51 | $25.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.39 | $30.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.32 | $3.35 |
| Efficient EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.9 | 0 | $9.76 | $4.46 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Whitesboro, AL
Afternoon in Whitesboro on Friday
Local time
4:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Springville, AL
35 mi in
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
26 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
1h 24m 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 Birmingham, AL to Whitesboro, AL covers 69.7 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 59, Leeth Gap Road, Messer Airport Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.8 miles from Birmingham, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.53 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 69.7 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 (5th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; near the start (5th Avenue North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Birmingham, AL to Whitesboro, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and Freedom Riders National Monument.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Whitesboro, AL
Explore more options from Birmingham, AL or browse trips ending in Whitesboro, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.