The drive from Colchester, VT to Chittenden, VT covers 72.2 miles and takes about 1h 58m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Vermont Route 116, Ethan Allen Highway, Franklin Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.2 miles on Vermont Route 116.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.62 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
36.1 miles from Colchester, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 58m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 72.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 58m drive with frequent turns across 72.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Vermont Route 116 is the longest continuous segment at about 14.2 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,140 ft270 ft
Total Climb
1,394 ft
Total Descent
524 ft
Highest Point
1,140 ft
~72.2 mi in
Elevation Range
870 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 early in the drive near VT 2A / Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 58m 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: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (VT 116 / Vermont Route 116): Lane positioning matters here; at 46 miles (US 7 / U.S. Route 7 South): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|VT 2A / Main Street
Turn left onto VT 2A / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
12.9 mi into trip|~22m in|VT 116 / Vermont Route 116
At end of road, turn left onto VT 116 / Vermont Route 116
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
46 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|US 7 / U.S. Route 7 South
At end of road, turn left onto US 7 / U.S. Route 7 South
Navigation decision point
5
71 mi into trip|~1h 55m in|Chittenden Road
At end of road, turn left onto Chittenden Road
Navigation decision point
5
72.2 mi into trip|~1h 58m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vermont Route 116
14.2 mi
21m
Ethan Allen Highway
10.9 mi
16m
Franklin Street
10.2 mi
17m
Case Street
6.1 mi
8m
South 116 Road
5.5 mi
8m
North 116 Road
4.1 mi
6m
Saint George Road
3.7 mi
5m
Essex Road
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Vermont Route 116
— 14.2 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colchester, VT and Chittenden, VT.
1
Start on East Road
100 ft·9 sec·East Road
2
Turn left onto VT 2A
1.5 mi·2 min·Main Street
3
Continue on VT 2A
1.9 mi·3 min·Colchester Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on VT 2A
0.9 mi·2 min·Lincoln Street
5
Continue on VT 2A
0.7 mi·2 min·Park Street
6
Continue on VT 2A
2.2 mi·3 min·Essex Road
7
Continue on VT 2A
3.7 mi·5 min·Saint George Road
8
Continue on VT 2A
2.0 mi·2 min·Vermont Route 2A
9
At end of road, turn left onto VT 116
14 mi·21 min·Vermont Route 116
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on VT 116
4.1 mi·6 min·North 116 Road
11
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.9 mi·1 min·Rockydale Road
12
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.5 mi·1 min·East Street
13
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.2 mi·25 sec·Main Street
14
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.6 mi·53 sec·West Street
15
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.5 mi·56 sec·Stony Hill Road
16
Turn left onto VT 116
2.1 mi·3 min·South 116 Road
17
Continue on VT 116
3.4 mi·5 min·South 116 Road
18
Continue on VT 116
6.1 mi·8 min·Case Street
19
Turn right onto VT 116
0.5 mi·51 sec·Ossie Road
20
At end of road, turn left onto US 7
1.1 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 7 South
21
Continue on US 7
11 mi·16 min·Ethan Allen Highway
22
Continue on US 7; VT 73
0.2 mi·39 sec·Conant Square
23
Continue on US 7; VT 73
0.2 mi·44 sec·Center Street
24
Continue on US 7
10 mi·17 min·Franklin Street
25
Turn left onto Sangamon Road
2.2 mi·4 min·Sangamon Road
26
At end of road, turn left onto Chittenden Road
0.1 mi·18 sec·Chittenden Road
27
Continue on East Pittsford - Chittenden Road
1.0 mi·2 min·East Pittsford - Chittenden Road
28
Turn slight left onto Mountain Top Road
197 ft·8 sec·Mountain Top Road
29
Turn left onto Holden Road
158 ft·8 sec·Holden Road
30
Turn right
19 ft·1 sec
31
Arrive at destination
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 36.1 miles from Colchester, VT, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.2 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 16 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36.1 miles or 58m 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 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chittenden, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colchester, VT so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colchester, VT
This is one driving day of about 72.2 miles and 1h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Colchester, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Vermont Route 116 for about 14.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.1 mi from Colchester, VT
· 58m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
21 mi from route
~53 min detour
Free
near mile 72.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.62 one way
$23.25 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$12.79
$25.58
premium
$4.86
$13.83
$27.65
diesel
$5.61
$15.94
$31.88
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.7
0
$7.58
$3.47
Efficient EV
18.1
0
$6.32
$2.89
EV Truck/SUV
28.9
0
$10.11
$4.62
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Colchester, VT
Morning
in Colchester on Friday
Local time
10:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Chittenden, VT
Morning
in Chittenden on Friday
Local time
10:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
39°F
Bristol, VT
36 mi in
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
3 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 58m 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 Colchester, VT to Chittenden, VT covers 72.2 miles and takes about 1h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Vermont Route 116, Ethan Allen Highway, Franklin Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.1 miles from Colchester, VT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.62 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 is a straightforward 1h 58m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (VT 116 / Vermont Route 116): Lane positioning matters here; at 46 miles (US 7 / U.S. Route 7 South): Navigation decision point.
The route from Colchester, VT to Chittenden, VT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 270 ft to 1,140 ft elevation with about 1,394 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park.
