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Trip from Gilford, NH to Merrimack, NH

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

57.6 mi

93 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Gilford, NH, NH

Gilford, NH

Mohan Nannapaneni

town in New Hampshire, United States

Merrimack, NH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Gilford, NH to Merrimack, NH is 57.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via Everett Turnpike, Senator Styles Bridges Highway, and Daniel Webster Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, relatively short drive that's perfect for a single day's excursion. You'll find the journey offers a mixed driving experience, suitable for those looking for a simple transit between two points without extensive planning.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 57.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile.

Drive Character

This route is characterized as a 'Mixed drive,' with 37% of it being on highways. You'll encounter a 21.5-mile stretch on the Everett Turnpike, which is the longest uninterrupted section. Expect a blend of faster highway driving and potentially some slower segments as you transition onto roads like Senator Styles Bridges Highway and Daniel Webster Highway. The drive isn't entirely monotonous, offering a bit of variety as you progress towards Merrimack.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Everett Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 21.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 NH 11A / Gilford Avenue.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 (NH 11A / Gilford Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 40 miles (I 93 / Everett Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42 miles (I 293 / Everett Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | NH 11A / Gilford Avenue

Turn left onto NH 11A / Gilford Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
40 mi into trip | ~53m in | I 93 / Everett Turnpike

Keep slight left at fork onto I 93 / Everett Turnpike

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
42 mi into trip | ~55m in | I 293 / Everett Turnpike

Keep slight left at fork onto I 293 / Everett Turnpike toward I 293 South: Manchester, Nashua

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 293 South: Manchester, Nashua
6
50.2 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in | Everett Turnpike

Keep slight left at fork onto Everett Turnpike toward Merrimack, Nashua

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Merrimack, Nashua
5
53.4 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Merrimack

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Merrimack

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Gilford, NH and Merrimack, NH, road signs point toward Nashua and Airport.

Nashua

42 mi in | ~55m | via I 293

Airport

52.6 mi in | ~1h 9m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Everett Turnpike 21.5 mi 27m
Senator Styles Bridges Highway 15.4 mi 17m
Daniel Webster Highway 5.4 mi 11m
Laconia Road 5 mi 8m
Styles Bridges Highway 3.3 mi 3m
Laconia Bypass 2.9 mi 3m
Gilford Avenue 2.3 mi 4m
South River Road 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Everett Turnpike — 21.5 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gilford, NH and Merrimack, NH.

1

Start on Belknap Mountain Road

334 ft · 16 sec · Belknap Mountain Road
2

Turn left onto NH 11A

2.3 mi · 4 min · Gilford Avenue
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 35 sec
4

Merge onto US 3; NH 11

2.9 mi · 3 min · Laconia Bypass
5

Turn left onto US 3; NH 11

1.6 mi · 3 min · Daniel Webster Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
6

Continue on US 3; NH 11

5.0 mi · 8 min · Laconia Road
Use the left lane.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward I 93 South
8

Merge onto I 93

2.5 mi · 2 min · Styles Bridges Highway
9

Continue on I 93

15 mi · 17 min · Senator Styles Bridges Highway
10

Continue on I 93

0.7 mi · 1 min · Styles Bridges Highway
11

Continue on I 93

8.9 mi · 10 min · Everett Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 93

2.0 mi · 2 min · Everett Turnpike
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto I 293

8.2 mi · 10 min · Everett Turnpike
Toward I 293 South: Manchester, Nashua Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork onto Everett Turnpike

2.4 mi · 3 min · Everett Turnpike
Toward Merrimack, Nashua
15

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward Airport
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward Merrimack
17

Turn right onto US 3

0.1 mi · 13 sec · South River Road
18

Continue on US 3

3.8 mi · 8 min · Daniel Webster Highway
Use the straight lane.
19

Turn slight left onto Loop Road

83 ft · 3 sec · Loop Road
20

Arrive at destination

Loop Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28.8 mi from Gilford, NH · 39m into the drive

Downtown East Concord, NH, NH

Mid-route town

Meal stop

East Concord, NH

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

Northfield, NH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

East Concord, NH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Gilford, NH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Merrimack, NH

The final approach into Merrimack, NH usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.27 one way

$18.55 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $10.20 $20.40
premium $4.86 $11.03 $22.06
diesel $5.61 $12.72 $25.43

Estimated Tolls: $1.50

Everett Turnpike (10.9 mi) $0.76
Everett Turnpike (8.2 mi) $0.57
Everett Turnpike (2.4 mi) $0.17

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$2

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 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 $6.05 $2.76
Efficient EV 14.4 0 $5.04 $2.30
EV Truck/SUV 23 0 $8.06 $3.69

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Gilford, NH

Late night in Gilford on Saturday

Local time

3:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Merrimack, NH

Late night in Merrimack on Saturday

Local time

3:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

39°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

7 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 20m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Gilford, NH to Merrimack, NH covers 57.6 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Everett Turnpike, Senator Styles Bridges Highway, Daniel Webster Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 28.8 miles from Gilford, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.27 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (NH 11A / Gilford Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 40 miles (I 93 / Everett Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42 miles (I 293 / Everett Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Gilford, NH and Merrimack, NH, road signs point toward Nashua and Airport.

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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Explore More

Return Trip

Merrimack, NH to Gilford, NH

Plan the drive back the other way.

57.7 mi 1h 20m

Explore more options from Gilford, NH or browse trips ending in Merrimack, NH.

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