Origin
Decatur, AL
Afternoon in Decatur on Saturday
Local time
1:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decatur, AL to Smoke Rise, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
57.5 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Smoke Rise, AL
Marino Kurunić
Trip Overview
Decatur, AL to Smoke Rise, AL is 57.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 17 minutes via I 65 and Point Mallard Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Alabama, covering a short distance between two points in the Southeast region. Expect a drive that is predominantly on major highways, making it a straightforward and efficient journey. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 45.5 mi | 48m |
| Point Mallard Parkway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| 6th Avenue Southeast | 3 mi | 5m |
| Valley Trail | 2.7 mi | 10m |
| Crosshill Lane | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Bee Line Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Scenic Trail | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 45.5 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, AL and Smoke Rise, AL.
1
Start on this road
426 ft
·
36 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
164 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ferry Street Northeast
3
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 31
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on US 31
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
6th Avenue Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto AL 67
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Point Mallard Parkway
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I-65 South: Birmingham
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 65
46 mi
·
48 min
·
I 65
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 287
Toward 31: Garden City, Blount Springs
10
Turn sharp left onto US 31
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Bee Line Highway
11
Turn right onto Valley Trail
1.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Valley Trail
12
Continue on Valley Trail
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Valley Trail
13
Turn left onto Scenic Trail
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Scenic Trail
14
Turn left onto Crosshill Lane
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosshill Lane
15
Turn right
157 ft
·
11 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.7 miles from Decatur, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 53.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ferry Street Northeast
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
At end of road, turn right onto US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
7.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the ramp toward I-65 South: Birmingham
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-65 South: Birmingham
6
53.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward 31: Garden City, Blount Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 287
Toward 31: Garden City, Blount Springs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.68 one way
$17.37 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.53 | $19.07 |
| premium | $4.56 | $10.32 | $20.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.70 | $25.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.04 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.05 | $3.68 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Smoke Rise, AL
Afternoon in Smoke Rise on Saturday
Local time
1:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
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
2 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 17m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is largely highway-focused, with 87% of the drive utilizing major roads. You'll experience a longest continuous stretch of 45.5 miles on I 65, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your travel. The journey begins with some local roads around Decatur before merging onto the interstate, and then transitions to Point Mallard Parkway and 6th Avenue Southeast as you approach Smoke Rise. The overall character is one of smooth, high-speed travel for the majority of the trip.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.5 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Point Mallard Parkway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ferry Street Northeast.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 17m drive. You will face about 12 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 (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Lee Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Decatur, AL and Smoke Rise, AL, road signs point toward 31: Garden City and Blount Springs.
31: Garden City
53.6 mi in
|
~1h 3m
Blount Springs
53.6 mi in
|
~1h 3m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 57.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.5 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Lee Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Smoke Rise, AL before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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