Origin
Ketchikan, AK
Late night in Ketchikan on Friday
Local time
4:58 AM
AKDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ketchikan, AK to Wrangell, AK
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 7m
Distance
105.1 mi
169 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 55m
★
6 AM
6h 8m
8 AM
6h 33m
10 AM
6h 17m
12 PM
6h 14m
3 PM
6h 18m
5 PM
6h 32m
8 PM
6h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ketchikan, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Wrangell, AK
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
The drive from Ketchikan, AK to Wrangell, AK covers 105.1 miles and takes about 6h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell, Tongass Avenue, Water Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 102.1 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.78 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
52.6 miles from Ketchikan, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 2m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 7m. Total distance: 105.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 7m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 7m drive with frequent turns across 105.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell is the longest continuous segment at about 102.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near AK 7 / Water Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 7m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 6 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese 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
4
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn right
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
105.1 mi into trip
|
~6h 7m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell | 102.1 mi | 6h |
| Tongass Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Water Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bennett Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell
— 102.1 mi, about 6h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ketchikan, AK and Wrangell, 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 slight right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell
102 mi
·
6 hr
·
Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell
9
Continue
398 ft
·
10 sec
10
Continue on 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
2nd Street
11
Continue on Church Street
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Church Street
12
Turn left onto Bennett Street
307 ft
·
10 sec
·
Bennett Street
13
Turn right
89 ft
·
6 sec
14
Arrive at 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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 52.6 miles from Ketchikan, AK, or about 3h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 23 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.6 miles or 3h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wrangell, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ketchikan, AK
This is one driving day of about 105.1 miles and 6h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Ketchikan, AK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell for about 102.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 52.6 mi from Ketchikan, AK · 3h 2m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
53 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 52.6 miles from Ketchikan, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 102.1 miles.
Arriving in Wrangell, AK
The final approach into Wrangell, 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 Wrangell, AK.
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
$22.78 one way
$45.56 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
37 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $23.95 | $47.91 |
| premium | $5.98 | $24.74 | $49.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.20 | $46.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31.5 | 0 | $11.04 | $5.04 |
| Efficient EV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.20 | $4.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 42 | 0 | $14.71 | $6.73 |
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Wrangell, AK
Late night in Wrangell on Friday
Local time
4:58 AM
AKDT
Current temp
50°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.
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 7m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 Wrangell, AK covers 105.1 miles and takes about 6h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell, Tongass Avenue, Water Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.6 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 $22.78 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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 7m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 6 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Ketchikan, AK to Wrangell, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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