Origin
Crystal Lake, CT
Night in Crystal Lake on Friday
Local time
11:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crystal Lake, CT to Hartford, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
22.7 mi
36 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Crystal Lake, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Crystal Lake, CT to Hartford, CT covers 22.7 miles and takes about 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 84, Crystal Lake Road, Hartford Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.2 miles on I 84. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.65 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 22.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 32m highway drive covering 22.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 84 and Crystal Lake Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.2 miles on I 84.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 84 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and Crystal Lake Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.1 miles in near I 84.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 22.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.1 miles (I 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles (I 84; US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
11.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 84
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
19.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 84; US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84; US 6
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
22 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward Asylum Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 48
Toward Asylum Street
7
22.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Asylum Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Asylum Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
22.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Broad Street
Turn left onto Broad Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 15.2 mi | 18m |
| Crystal Lake Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Hartford Turnpike | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Stafford Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Hyde Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Reservoir Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tolland Stage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 15.2 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crystal Lake, CT and Hartford, CT.
1
Start on CT 140
511 ft
·
10 sec
·
Sandy Beach Road
2
Continue on CT 140
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Crystal Lake Road
3
Turn left onto CT 30
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Stafford Road
4
Continue on CT 30
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Crystal Lake Road
5
Turn right onto CT 30; CT 74
513 ft
·
10 sec
·
Tolland Stage Road
6
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 30
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hartford Turnpike
7
Continue on CT 30
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hyde Avenue
8
Turn left onto CT 31
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Reservoir Road
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 84 West: Hartford
10
Merge onto I 84
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
I 84
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84; US 6
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 48
Toward Asylum Street
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on Spring Street
370 ft
·
14 sec
·
Spring Street
15
At end of road, turn right onto Asylum Avenue
197 ft
·
3 sec
·
Asylum Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn slight left onto Farmington Avenue
347 ft
·
11 sec
·
Farmington Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto Broad Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Broad Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn left onto Capitol Avenue
382 ft
·
16 sec
·
Capitol Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left onto Armory Road
111 ft
·
9 sec
·
Armory Road
20
Arrive at destination
Armory Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.65 one way
$7.31 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.02 | $8.04 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.35 | $8.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.09
Hartford Turnpike
(1.2 mi)
$0.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Hartford, CT
Night in Hartford on Friday
Local time
11:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Partly Sunny
S 10 mph
13% chance
Live forecast
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
45 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
32m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Crystal Lake, CT to Hartford, CT covers 22.7 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 84, Crystal Lake Road, Hartford Turnpike. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.3 miles from Crystal Lake, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.65 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 short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 22.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
The main spots that need attention: at 11.1 miles (I 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles (I 84; US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Crystal Lake, CT to Hartford, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include New England National Scenic Trail.
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.
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