Origin
Butte, AK
Late night in Butte on Friday
Local time
2:05 AM
AKDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Butte, AK to Kenai, AK
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 22m
Distance
198.4 mi
319 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
8 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 9m
★
6 AM
4h 23m
8 AM
4h 49m
10 AM
4h 32m
12 PM
4h 29m
3 PM
4h 33m
5 PM
4h 48m
8 PM
4h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Butte, AK
Tima Miroshnichenko
Kenai, AK
John De Leon
Trip Overview
The drive from Butte, AK to Kenai, AK covers 198.4 miles and takes about 4h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Seward Highway, AK 1, Glenn Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 87.9 miles on Seward Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.18 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
99.2 miles from Butte, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 3m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 22m. Total distance: 198.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (29%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 22m drive with frequent turns across 198.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Seward Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 87.9 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,059 ft
20 ft
Total Climb
1,559 ft
Total Descent
1,568 ft
Highest Point
1,059 ft
~127.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,038 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Old Glenn Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 22m drive. You will face about 10 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 (Old Glenn Highway): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles (AK 1 / Gambell Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Old Glenn Highway
Turn left onto Old Glenn Highway
Navigation decision point
5
12.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Merge onto AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
41.1 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
AK 1 / Gambell Street
Turn left onto AK 1 / Gambell Street
Navigation decision point
4
197.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 21m in
|
Kenai Spur Highway
Turn left onto Kenai Spur Highway
Navigation decision point
4
198.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 22m in
|
Frontage Road
Turn right onto Frontage Road
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Seward Highway | 87.9 mi | 1h 45m |
| AK 1 | 58.4 mi | 1h 26m |
| Glenn Highway | 27.5 mi | 31m |
| Old Glenn Highway | 11.6 mi | 16m |
| Kalifornsky Beach Road | 6 mi | 8m |
| Bridge Access Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| East 5th Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Gambell Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Seward Highway
— 87.9 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Butte, AK and Kenai, AK.
1
Start on East Plumley Road
369 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Plumley Road
2
Turn left onto Old Glenn Highway
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Old Glenn Highway
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward AK 1 South: Anchorage
4
Merge onto AK 1
28 mi
·
31 min
·
Glenn Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on AK 1
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn left onto AK 1
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Gambell Street
7
Continue on AK 1
88 mi
·
1 hr 45 min
·
Seward Highway
8
Take the exit onto AK 1
58 mi
·
1 hr 26 min
·
AK 1
9
Turn right onto Kalifornsky Beach Road
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Kalifornsky Beach Road
10
Turn right onto Bridge Access Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Bridge Access Road
11
Turn left onto Kenai Spur Highway
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Kenai Spur Highway
12
Turn left onto Broad Street
91 ft
·
5 sec
·
Broad Street
13
Turn right onto Frontage Road
465 ft
·
20 sec
·
Frontage Road
14
Arrive at destination
Frontage Road
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 99.2 miles from Butte, AK, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87.9 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 80 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.2 miles or 2h 3m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kenai, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Butte, AK 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 Butte, AK
This is one driving day of about 198.4 miles and 4h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Butte, AK.
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 Seward Highway for about 87.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 99.2 mi from Butte, AK · 2h 3m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
99 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 99.2 miles from Butte, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Seward Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 87.9 miles.
Arriving in Kenai, AK
The final approach into Kenai, AK 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 Kenai, AK.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.18 one way
$86.36 round trip
$5.53/gal
25.4 MPG avg
69 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $45.42 | $90.84 |
| premium | $6.02 | $47.04 | $94.08 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $44.08 | $88.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
EV Charging Along Route
8 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Chugiak, AK - Tesla Supercharger
Chugiak, AK
Tesla
8 DCFC
Fred Meyer - Tesla Supercharger
Anchorage, AK
Tesla
8 DCFC
Three Bears - Birchwood
Chugiak, AK
EVGATEWAY
4 DCFC
Three Bears - Sterling
Sterling, AK
EVGATEWAY
4 DCFC
Whistle Stop - Tesla Supercharger
Soldotna, AK
Tesla
4 DCFC
Chugach Electric HQ
Anchorage, AK
SYNERGEV
2 DCFC
Soldotna Auto Mall
Soldotna, AK
Blink Network
2 DCFC
DIMOND CENTER EAST TOWER
Anchorage, AK
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
Tesla: 3
EVGATEWAY: 2
SYNERGEV: 1
ChargePoint Network: 1
Blink Network: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 59.5 | 0 | $20.83 | $9.52 |
| Efficient EV | 49.6 | 0 | $17.36 | $7.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 79.4 | 0 | $27.78 | $12.70 |
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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
Kenai, AK
Late night in Kenai on Friday
Local time
2:05 AM
AKDT
Current temp
26°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
16 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
4h 22m 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 Butte, AK to Kenai, AK covers 198.4 miles and takes about 4h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Seward Highway, AK 1, Glenn Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 99.2 miles from Butte, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.18 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 is a straightforward 4h 22m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Old Glenn Highway): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles (AK 1 / Gambell Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Butte, AK to Kenai, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. EV charging comes from the NREL Alternative Fuels dataset. Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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