Skip to main content

Trip from Ketchikan, AK to Diamond Ridge, AK

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

Drive Time

51h 28m

Distance

1060.4 mi

1,707 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

4-day trip

Fuel Cost

$230

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 139 min
4 AM
50h 42m ★
6 AM
51h 28m
8 AM
53h 1m
10 AM
52h 1m
12 PM
51h 51m
3 PM
52h 5m
5 PM
52h 56m
8 PM
51h 0m

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

city in Alaska, USA

Ketchikan, AK

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Diamond Ridge, AK

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Ketchikan, AK to Diamond Ridge, AK covers 1060.4 miles and takes about 51h 28m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat, Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 334.5 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat. At current regular gas prices, budget about $229.82 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 4 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

14 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

530.2 miles from Ketchikan, AK

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 24h 21m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Solo Traveler

51h 28m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-distance drive route profile.

Drive Character

At 1060.4 miles and 51h 28m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat and Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat is the longest continuous segment at about 334.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 51h 28m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. 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 AK 7 / Water Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 1060.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road): Navigation decision point; at 279.1 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | AK 7 / Water Street

At end of road, turn right onto AK 7 / Water Street

Navigation decision point

5
2.3 mi into trip | ~5m in | Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road

Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road

Navigation decision point

5
279.1 mi into trip | ~8h 6m in | Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
541.7 mi into trip | ~25h 6m in | Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
876.3 mi into trip | ~47h 6m in | West Camp Road

At end of road, turn right onto West Camp Road

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat 334.5 mi 22h
Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau 276.8 mi 8h
Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat 262.6 mi 17h
AK 1 126.5 mi 3h 1m
Seward Highway 40.7 mi 47m
Portage Glacier Road 5 mi 7m
Diamond Ridge Road 4.8 mi 10m
Portage Glacier Highway 4.7 mi 10m
Longest stretch: Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat — 334.5 mi, about 22h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ketchikan, AK and Diamond Ridge, AK.

1

Start on this road

0.1 mi · 34 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn right onto AK 7

218 ft · 11 sec · Water Street
3

Continue on Water Street

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Water Street
4

Turn left onto AK 7

1.6 mi · 3 min · Tongass Avenue
5

Turn left

128 ft · 5 sec
6

Turn right

428 ft · 37 sec
7

Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road

468 ft · 40 sec · Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
8

Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau

277 mi · 8 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau
9

Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

263 mi · 17 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
10

Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

334 mi · 22 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
11

Continue

374 ft · 7 sec
12

At end of road, turn right onto West Camp Road

173 ft · 9 sec · West Camp Road
13

Continue on West Camp Road

1.4 mi · 2 min · West Camp Road
14

Continue on Portage Glacier Highway

4.7 mi · 10 min · Portage Glacier Highway
15

Continue on FFH 35

5.0 mi · 7 min · Portage Glacier Road
16

At end of road, turn left onto AK 1

41 mi · 47 min · Seward Highway
17

Take the exit onto AK 1

127 mi · 3 hr 1 min · AK 1
18

Turn left onto Diamond Ridge Road

4.8 mi · 10 min · Diamond Ridge Road
19

At end of road, turn left onto Skyline Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · Skyline Drive
20

Turn slight left onto Autumn Star Street

0.2 mi · 48 sec · Autumn Star Street
21

Arrive at destination

Autumn Star Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 4-day trip.
Plan roughly 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 530.2 miles from Ketchikan, AK, or about 24h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 334.5 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 220 miles or 6h 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 530.2 miles or 24h 21m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 265.1 miles or 7h 41m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 49h 57m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Diamond Ridge, AK than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Ketchikan, AK so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 4-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Ketchikan, AK

Aim for roughly 265 miles and 12.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 265 miles and 12.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 3

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 265 miles and 12.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 4

Finish the approach into Diamond Ridge, AK

Aim for roughly 265 miles and 12.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 220 miles from Ketchikan, AK.
This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 14 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat for about 334.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 530.2 mi from Ketchikan, AK · 24h 21m into the drive

Downtown Bear Creek, AK, AK

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Bear Creek, AK

350 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Downtown Kenai, AK, AK

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Kenai, AK

700 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Kenai, AK

Overnight Options

Night 1

Eagle River, AK

265 mi · about 12.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near Eagle River, AK after about 265 miles or 12.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Night 2

Bear Creek, AK

530 mi · about 25.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Bear Creek, AK after about 530 miles or 25.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Night 3

Kenai, AK

795 mi · about 38.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near Kenai, AK after about 795 miles or 38.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Petersburg, AK

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 220 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Halfway reset

Meal break

The midpoint is around 530.2 miles from Ketchikan, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 334.5 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 265 miles or 12.9 hours on the road.

Arriving in Diamond Ridge, AK

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

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Diamond Ridge, AK.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Diamond Ridge, AK with some flexibility left in the schedule.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$229.82 one way

$459.65 round trip

$5.51/gal 25.4 MPG avg 371 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.79 $241.68 $483.36
premium $5.98 $249.65 $499.31
diesel $5.61 $234.12 $468.25

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$230

Hotel (3n)

$240–$420

Meals

$100–$200

Total

$570–$850

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 371 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $111 in charging · 3 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 318.1 3 $111.34 $50.90
Efficient EV 265.1 3 $92.79 $42.42
EV Truck/SUV 424.2 5 $148.46 $67.87

Gas CO2

371 kg

EV CO2

124 kg (67% less)

Plan for 3 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

Ketchikan, AK

Late night in Ketchikan on Saturday

Local time

3:03 AM

AKDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Diamond Ridge, AK

Late night in Diamond Ridge on Saturday

Local time

3:03 AM

AKDT

Current temp

36°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

13 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

51h 28m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Ketchikan, AK to Diamond Ridge, AK covers 1060.4 miles and takes about 51h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat, Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 4-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 265 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 530.2 miles from Ketchikan, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $229.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 1060.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road): Navigation decision point; at 279.1 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.

The route from Ketchikan, AK to Diamond Ridge, AK 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

Explore More

Explore more options from Ketchikan, AK or browse trips ending in Diamond Ridge, AK.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AK road trips.