Origin
College, AK
Evening in College on Sunday
Local time
5:42 PM
AKDT
Current temp
23°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from College, AK to Palmer, AK
Drive Time
5h 24m
Distance
326.1 mi
525 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$71
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 11m
★
6 AM
5h 24m
8 AM
5h 51m
10 AM
5h 34m
12 PM
5h 31m
3 PM
5h 35m
5 PM
5h 50m
8 PM
5h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
College, AK
Hoàng Tiến Anh
Palmer, AK
Engin Akyurt
Trip Overview
The drive from College, AK to Palmer, AK covers 326.1 miles and takes about 5h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Alumni Drive, Tanana Loop, West Tanana Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $70.97 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
163 miles from College, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 42m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 24m drive with frequent turns across 326.1 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.
Alumni Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from College, AK to Palmer, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alumni Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Tanana Loop | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Tanana Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Sheep Creek Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| George Parks Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Parks Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Palmer-Wasilla Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Palmer Wasilla Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Alumni Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between College, AK and Palmer, AK.
1
Start on College Road
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
College Road
2
Continue on Alumni Drive
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Alumni Drive
3
Continue on Tanana Loop
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tanana Loop
4
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward West Tanana Drive
141 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Tanana Drive
5
Exit the roundabout onto West Tanana Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Tanana Drive
6
Continue on Sheep Creek Road
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Sheep Creek Road
7
Continue on Sheep Creek Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Sheep Creek Road
8
At the end of the road, turn right onto George Parks Highway
299 mi
·
5 hr 57 min
·
George Parks Highway
9
Continue on West Parks Highway
12 mi
·
17 min
·
West Parks Highway
10
Turn left onto East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
9.6 mi
·
15 min
·
East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
11
Continue on East Palmer Wasilla Highway
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Palmer Wasilla Highway
12
Continue on West Evergreen Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Evergreen Avenue
13
Turn right onto South Colony Way
13 ft
·
South Colony Way
14
Arrive at your destination
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 163 miles from College, AK, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
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 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Palmer, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving College, 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 College, AK
This is one driving day of about 326.1 miles and 5h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from College, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 163 mi from College, AK · 2h 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
163 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 163 miles from College, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Palmer, AK
The final approach into Palmer, 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 Palmer, 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
$70.97 one way
$141.94 round trip
$5.53/gal
25.4 MPG avg
114 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $74.66 | $149.31 |
| premium | $6.02 | $77.31 | $154.63 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $72.45 | $144.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$71
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$96–$121
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 97.8 | 1 | $34.24 | $15.65 |
| Efficient EV | 81.5 | 0 | $28.53 | $13.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 130.4 | 1 | $45.65 | $20.87 |
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Palmer, AK
Evening in Palmer on Sunday
Local time
5:42 PM
AKDT
Current temp
27°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
4 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
5h 24m 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 College, AK to Palmer, AK covers 326.1 miles and takes about 5h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Alumni Drive, Tanana Loop, West Tanana Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 163 miles from College, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $70.97 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 5h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from College, AK to Palmer, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from College, AK to Palmer, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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