Origin
Gadsden, AL
Late night in Gadsden on Saturday
Local time
5:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
24.6 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gadsden, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Jacksonville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL covers 24.6 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on AL 204, Chastain Boulevard East, West Meighan Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.6 miles on AL 204. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 24.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL covers 24.6 miles and takes about 39m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 6 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
AL 204 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 278; US 431 / West Meighan Boulevard.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL is easy. At 39m with 39% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 278; US 431 / West Meighan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.2 miles (AL 204): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
2 of 2 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 278; US 431 / West Meighan Boulevard
Turn right onto US 278; US 431 / West Meighan Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
14.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
AL 204
Turn left onto AL 204
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| AL 204 | 9.6 mi | 16m |
| Chastain Boulevard East | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| West Meighan Boulevard | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Pelham Road North | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| South 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Public Square West | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
AL 204
— 9.6 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gadsden, AL and Jacksonville, AL.
1
Start on South 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
South 6th Street
2
Turn right onto US 278; US 431
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
West Meighan Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 431
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Chastain Boulevard East
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto AL 204
9.6 mi
·
16 min
·
AL 204
5
Turn right onto AL 21
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Pelham Road North
6
Arrive at destination
AL 21
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.72 one way
$7.43 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.42 | $8.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Jacksonville, AL
Late night in Jacksonville on Saturday
Local time
5:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph
0% 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
15 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
39m 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 Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL covers 24.6 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are AL 204, Chastain Boulevard East, West Meighan Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.3 miles from Gadsden, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.72 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.
The drive from Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL is easy. At 39m with 39% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 278; US 431 / West Meighan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.2 miles (AL 204): Navigation decision point.
The route from Gadsden, AL to Jacksonville, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Freedom Riders National Monument.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Jacksonville, AL
More trips to Jacksonville, AL
Explore more options from Gadsden, AL or browse trips ending in Jacksonville, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.