Origin
Ketchikan, AK
Afternoon in Ketchikan on Wednesday
Local time
12:51 PM
AKDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ketchikan, AK to Gateway, AK
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
49h 15m
Distance
973.4 mi
1,567 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
4-day trip
Fuel Cost
$211
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
48h 31m
★
6 AM
49h 15m
8 AM
50h 44m
10 AM
49h 46m
12 PM
49h 37m
3 PM
49h 51m
5 PM
50h 40m
8 PM
48h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ketchikan, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Gateway, AK
Tito Zzzz
Trip Overview
The drive from Ketchikan, AK to Gateway, AK covers 973.4 miles and takes about 49h 15m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Water Street, Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $210.97 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
486.7 miles from Ketchikan, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 24h 37m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 973.4 miles and 49h 15m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Water Street and Tongass Avenue.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Water Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 49h 15m, 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.
Route Complexity
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Navigation is easy, but the length (49h 15m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ketchikan, AK to Gateway, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Water Street | — | — |
| Tongass Avenue | — | — |
| Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road | — | — |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau | — | — |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat | — | — |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat | — | — |
| West Camp Road | — | — |
| Portage Glacier Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Water Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ketchikan, AK and Gateway, AK.
1
Start on the route
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
the route
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto Water Street
217 ft
·
12 sec
·
Water Street
3
Continue on Water Street
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Water Street
4
Turn left onto Tongass Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Tongass Avenue
5
Turn left
128 ft
·
5 sec
6
Turn right
430 ft
·
37 sec
7
Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
469 ft
·
41 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 straight
374 ft
·
7 sec
12
At the end of the road, turn right onto West Camp Road
174 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 Portage Glacier Road
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Portage Glacier Road
16
Turn right onto Seward Highway
47 mi
·
58 min
·
Seward Highway
17
Continue on Ingra Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Ingra Street
18
Turn right onto East 6th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
19
Continue on East 5th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Avenue
20
Continue on Glenn Highway
33 mi
·
38 min
·
Glenn Highway
21
Keep slight left to continue on East Parks Highway
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Parks Highway
22
Take the exit slight right toward Trunk Road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Trunk Road
23
Keep slight right to continue on Trunk Road north
374 ft
·
9 sec
·
Trunk Road north
24
Turn straight onto Trunk Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Trunk Road
25
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Trunk Road
108 ft
·
2 sec
·
Trunk Road
26
Exit the roundabout onto Trunk Road
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Trunk Road
27
Turn right onto East Duchess Drive
341 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Duchess Drive
28
Turn right onto East Cottrell-Campus Drive
95 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Cottrell-Campus Drive
29
Turn left onto East Duchess Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Duchess Drive
30
Continue on Regents Road
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Regents Road
31
Turn right onto Joanne Drive
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Joanne Drive
32
Arrive at your destination
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 486.7 miles from Ketchikan, AK, or about 24h 37m into the drive.
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 214 miles or 10h 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 486.7 miles or 24h 37m 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 243.4 miles or 12h 18m
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 46h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gateway, 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 243 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 243 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 243 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Gateway, AK
Aim for roughly 243 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 214 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 486.7 mi from Ketchikan, AK · 24h 37m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
321 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.
Overnight Options
Night 1
243 mi · about 12.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Bear Creek, AK after about 243 miles or 12.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 2
487 mi · about 24.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Anchorage, AK after about 487 miles or 24.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 3
730 mi · about 36.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near Eagle River, AK after about 730 miles or 36.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 214 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 486.7 miles from Ketchikan, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 243 miles or 12.3 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
Arriving in Gateway, AK
The final approach into Gateway, 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 Gateway, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Gateway, AK with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$210.97 one way
$421.93 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
341 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $221.85 | $443.70 |
| premium | $5.98 | $229.17 | $458.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $214.91 | $429.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$211
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$551–$831
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 340.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $102 in charging · 3 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 292 | 3 | $102.21 | $46.72 |
| Efficient EV | 243.4 | 2 | $85.17 | $38.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 389.4 | 4 | $136.28 | $62.30 |
Gas CO2
341 kg
EV CO2
114 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.
Destination
Gateway, AK
Afternoon in Gateway on Wednesday
Local time
12:51 PM
AKDT
Current temp
26°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
23 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
49h 15m 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 Gateway, AK covers 973.4 miles and takes about 49h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Water Street, Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road. 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 243 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 486.7 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 $210.97 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.
Navigation is easy, but the length (49h 15m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ketchikan, AK to Gateway, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ketchikan, AK to Gateway, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Gateway, AK
Explore more options from Ketchikan, AK or browse trips ending in Gateway, AK.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AK road trips.
Explore maps for Ketchikan, AK or Gateway, AK on MapSof.net.