Drive Time
23h 22m
Distance
503 mi
810 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
3-day trip
Fuel Cost
$109
one way
Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko
The drive from Ketchikan, AK to Sitka, AK covers 503 miles and takes about 23h 22m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 3-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 $109.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 3 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
6 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
251.5 miles from Ketchikan, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 11h 41m into the drive .
At 503 miles and 23h 22m 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.
At 23h 22m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 23h 22m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ketchikan, AK to Sitka, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Water Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Tongass Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Wrangell-Petersburg | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Petersburg-Sitka | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Halibut Point Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Sawmill Creek Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Ketchikan, AK and Sitka, AK.
Start on the route
At the end of the road, turn right onto Water Street
Continue on Water Street
Turn left onto Tongass Avenue
Turn left
Turn right
Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
Turn slight right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Wrangell
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Wrangell-Petersburg
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Petersburg-Sitka
Continue straight
At the end of the road, turn right onto Halibut Point Road
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Sawmill Creek Road
Exit the roundabout onto Sawmill Creek Road
Turn right onto Baranof Street
Arrive at your destination
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.
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 111 miles or 5h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 251.5 miles or 11h 41m 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 167.7 miles or 7h 47m
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 20h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sitka, AK than in the middle of the route.
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 3-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 168 miles and 7.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 168 miles and 7.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Finish the approach into Sitka, AK
Aim for roughly 168 miles and 7.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 251.5 mi from Ketchikan, AK · 11h 41m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
166 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
332 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 Juneau, AKNight 1
168 mi · about 7.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Wrangell, AK after about 168 miles or 7.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 2
335 mi · about 15.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Juneau, AK after about 335 miles or 15.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 251.5 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 168 miles or 7.8 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.
The final approach into Sitka, 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 Sitka, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Sitka, 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.
Regular Gas
$109.47 one way
$218.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $115.16 | $230.31 |
| premium | $6.02 | $119.25 | $238.51 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $111.75 | $223.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$109
Hotel (2n)
$160–$280
Meals
$75–$150
Total
$344–$539
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 176 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 150.9 | 1 | $52.82 | $24.14 |
| Efficient EV | 125.8 | 1 | $44.01 | $20.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 201.2 | 2 | $70.42 | $32.19 |
Gas CO2
176 kg
EV CO2
59 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Afternoon in Ketchikan on Saturday
Local time
1:02 PM
AKDT
Current temp
34°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Afternoon in Sitka on Saturday
Local time
1:02 PM
AKDT
Current temp
30°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
39°F
Wrangell, AK
166 mi in
30°F
Juneau, AK
332 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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