Origin
Huntsville, AL
Morning in Huntsville on Saturday
Local time
10:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Huntsville, AL to Riverside, 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
54.3 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
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.
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, AL
🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳
Trip Overview
The drive from Huntsville, AL to Riverside, AL covers 54.3 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Memorial Parkway Southwest, North Brindlee Mountain Parkway, AL 79 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26.3 miles on Memorial Parkway Southwest. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.20 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles (32 km) from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 54.3 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 (98%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 17m highway drive covering 54.3 miles, with most of the trip on Memorial Parkway Southwest and North Brindlee Mountain Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 26.3 miles on Memorial Parkway Southwest.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Memorial Parkway Southwest is the longest continuous segment at about 26.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Memorial Parkway Southwest and North Brindlee Mountain Parkway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Side Square.
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 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Monroe Street Southwest): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles (Access Road Southwest): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Side Square
Turn right onto West Side Square
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Monroe Street Southwest
Enter roundabout onto Monroe Street Southwest
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Access Road Southwest
Turn left onto Access Road Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
42.4 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
US 278
Turn left onto US 278
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
44.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Parkway Southwest | 26.3 mi | 33m |
| North Brindlee Mountain Parkway | 14.9 mi | 20m |
| AL 79 | 6.3 mi | 11m |
| CR 26 | 3 mi | 5m |
| US 278 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Monroe Street Southwest | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Williams Avenue Southwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Governors Drive Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Memorial Parkway Southwest
— 26.3 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Huntsville, AL and Riverside, AL.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
4 ft
·
3 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn right onto West Side Square
376 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Side Square
3
Continue on Madison Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Madison Street
4
Turn right onto Williams Avenue Southwest
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Williams Avenue Southwest
5
Turn left onto Monroe Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Monroe Street Southwest
6
Enter roundabout onto Monroe Street Southwest
133 ft
·
3 sec
·
Monroe Street Southwest
7
Continue on Monroe Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Monroe Street Southwest
8
Turn right onto US 431
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Governors Drive Southwest
9
Turn left onto Access Road Southwest
182 ft
·
2 sec
·
Access Road Southwest
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on Memorial Parkway Southwest
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Memorial Parkway Southwest
11
Take the ramp
211 ft
·
5 sec
12
Merge onto US 231
26 mi
·
33 min
·
Memorial Parkway Southwest
13
Continue on US 231
15 mi
·
20 min
·
North Brindlee Mountain Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 278
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US 278
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on US 278
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 278
16
Take the exit
363 ft
·
9 sec
17
Turn straight onto AL 79
6.3 mi
·
11 min
·
AL 79
18
Turn sharp left onto CR 26
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
CR 26
19
Arrive at destination
CR 26
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.1 mi from Huntsville, AL · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Huntsville, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Riverside, AL
The final approach into Riverside, AL 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
$8.20 one way
$16.40 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.00 | $18.00 |
| premium | $4.56 | $9.75 | $19.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.99 | $23.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.60 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Riverside, AL
Morning in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
10:20 AM
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
1 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Huntsville, AL to Riverside, AL covers 54.3 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Memorial Parkway Southwest, North Brindlee Mountain Parkway, AL 79. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.1 miles from Huntsville, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.20 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 straightforward 1h 17m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Monroe Street Southwest): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles (Access Road Southwest): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Huntsville, AL to Riverside, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Riverside, AL
More trips to Riverside, AL
Explore more options from Huntsville, AL or browse trips ending in Riverside, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.