The drive from Candia, NH to Keene, NH covers 74.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 202, Route 9, I 89 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.5 miles on US 202.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.57 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
37.2 miles from Candia, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 74.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 44m highway drive covering 74.5 miles, with most of the trip on US 202 and Route 9. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.5 miles on US 202.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 202 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 202 and Route 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near NH 43 / Deerfield Road.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.3 miles (NH 43 / Deerfield Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|NH 43 / Deerfield Road
At end of road, turn left onto NH 43 / Deerfield Road
Navigation decision point
6
9.5 mi into trip|~14m in
Take the exit toward I 93 North: Concord
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 93 North: Concord
8
23.8 mi into trip|~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 89 North: Lebanon, White River Junction Vermont
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 89 North: Lebanon, White River Junctio...
6
32.1 mi into trip|~42m in
Take the exit toward US 202 West, NH 9 West: Henniker, Keene
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.3
0
$7.82
$3.58
Efficient EV
18.6
0
$6.52
$2.98
EV Truck/SUV
29.8
0
$10.43
$4.77
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Candia, NH
Morning
in Candia on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Keene, NH
Morning
in Keene on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
9 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
1h 44m 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 Candia, NH to Keene, NH covers 74.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 202, Route 9, I 89. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 37.2 miles from Candia, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.57 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 74.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.3 miles (NH 43 / Deerfield Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Candia, NH to Keene, NH, road signs begin pointing toward White River Junction Vermont 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
