Ettrick, VA to Portsmouth, VA is 84.5 miles and takes about 1h 54m via James River Drive, Colonial Trail West, and Old Stage Highway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Virginia's Southeast region, offering a generally local feel rather than a high-speed interstate journey. With a relatively short duration and a modest fuel cost, it's a practical option for a single-day trip. Consider this route if you prefer a less highway-intensive experience and don't mind navigating local roads.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.3 miles from Ettrick, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
James River Drive
14.6 mi
19m
Colonial Trail West
13.3 mi
15m
Old Stage Highway
12 mi
15m
Colonial Trail East
9.8 mi
11m
Western Freeway
7.4 mi
9m
Bridge Road
6.2 mi
10m
East Washington Street
3.5 mi
4m
Brewers Neck Boulevard
2.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
James River Drive
— 14.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ettrick, VA and Portsmouth, VA.
1
Start on East River Road
0.1 mi·34 sec·East River Road
2
Turn right onto SR 1107
516 ft·14 sec·Granger Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto VA 36
0.8 mi·1 min·Chesterfield Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on VA 36
0.1 mi·17 sec·Fleet Street
5
Turn left onto VA 36
0.5 mi·56 sec·Grove Avenue
6
Continue on VA 36
0.1 mi·18 sec·West Old Street
7
Turn right onto VA 36
484 ft·18 sec·North Sycamore Street
8
Turn left onto East Bank Street
1.1 mi·2 min·East Bank Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
At end of road, turn left onto VA 36
3.5 mi·4 min·East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on VA 36
2.0 mi·2 min·Oaklawn Boulevard
11
Continue on VA 36
2.2 mi·2 min·Winston Churchill Drive
12
Turn right onto VA 10; VA 156 BUS
1.3 mi·2 min·East Randolph Road
13
Continue on VA 10; VA 156 BUS
15 mi·19 min·James River Drive
14
Continue on VA 10
13 mi·15 min·Colonial Trail West
15
At end of road, turn left onto VA 10; VA 31
1.0 mi·1 min·Rolfe Highway
16
Take the exit
149 ft·6 sec
17
Merge onto VA 10
9.8 mi·11 min·Colonial Trail East
18
Continue on VA 10
12 mi·15 min·Old Stage Highway
Use the left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto US 258
2.8 mi·3 min·Brewers Neck Boulevard
20
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
21
Merge onto US 17
2.3 mi·3 min·Carrollton Boulevard
22
Continue on US 17
6.2 mi·10 min·Bridge Road
Use the left lane.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 164
7.4 mi·9 min·Western Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
24
Merge onto US 58; VA 164
0.7 mi·46 sec·Martin Luther King Freeway
25
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward VA 141 South: Downtown PortsmouthUse the right lane.
26
Turn straight onto US 58
1.2 mi·2 min·London Boulevard
27
Turn right onto VA 141
0.1 mi·11 sec·Effingham Street
Use the right lane.
28
Turn left onto High Street
0.5 mi·1 min·High Street
Use the left lane.
29
Continue on High Street
201 ft·20 sec·High Street
Use the left lane.
30
Arrive at destination
High Street
Trip Plan
Since this 84.5-mile drive is a comfortable one-day trip, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Ettrick in the morning will allow you to reach Portsmouth with plenty of daylight. While there are no designated stops in the data, the drive is short enough that you can easily pull over if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as the highway share is low; the estimated $13 fuel cost is a good baseline. A specific tip: familiarize yourself with the sequence of James River Drive, Colonial Trail West, and Old Stage Highway before you depart to ensure a smooth transition between these local roads.
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 42.3 miles from Ettrick, VA, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.6 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 19 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.3 miles or 55m 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Portsmouth, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ettrick, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ettrick, VA
This is one driving day of about 84.5 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Ettrick, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on James River Drive for about 14.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 83.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|SR 1107 / Granger Street
Turn right onto SR 1107 / Granger Street
Navigation decision point
6
3 mi into trip|~6m in|VA 36 / East Washington Street
At end of road, turn left onto VA 36 / East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
74.2 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|VA 164 / Western Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 164 / Western Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
82.4 mi into trip|~1h 49m in
Take the exit toward VA 141 South: Downtown Portsmouth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward VA 141 South: Downtown Portsmouth
6
83.9 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|VA 141 / Effingham Street
Turn right onto VA 141 / Effingham Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.21 one way
$26.43 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$14.45
$28.90
premium
$4.70
$15.64
$31.28
diesel
$5.61
$18.66
$37.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.3
0
$8.87
$4.06
Efficient EV
21.1
0
$7.39
$3.38
EV Truck/SUV
33.8
0
$11.83
$5.41
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (67% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Ettrick, VA
Afternoon
in Ettrick on Saturday
Local time
2:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Portsmouth, VA
Afternoon
in Portsmouth on Saturday
Local time
2:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Williamsburg, VA
42 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
25 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 54m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
$15
near mile 46.6
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 78.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with only a 10% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on local roads like James River Drive, Colonial Trail West, and Old Stage Highway. The longest stretch without a significant turn is 14.6 miles on James River Drive. Expect a driving experience that requires more attention to navigation and less of a monotonous highway grind. The road will likely feel more intimate and less about covering ground quickly.
Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.6 mi on James River Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near SR 1107 / Granger Street.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 84.5 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.1 miles (SR 1107 / Granger Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (VA 36 / East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 74.2 miles (VA 164 / Western Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 54m. Total distance: 84.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.6 miles on James River Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Portsmouth, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (SR 1107 / Granger Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (VA 36 / East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 74.2 miles (VA 164 / Western Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Petersburg National Battlefield, Colonial National Historical Park and Fort Monroe National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Portsmouth, VA 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
