Origin
Kodiak, AK
Evening in Kodiak on Wednesday
Local time
8:40 PM
AKDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kodiak, AK to North Pole, AK
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
18h 52m
Distance
735.3 mi
1,183 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
3-day trip
Fuel Cost
$159
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
18h 36m
★
6 AM
18h 53m
8 AM
19h 27m
10 AM
19h 5m
12 PM
19h 1m
3 PM
19h 7m
5 PM
19h 25m
8 PM
18h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kodiak, AK
Wikimedia Commons
North Pole, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Kodiak, AK to North Pole, AK covers 735.3 miles and takes about 18h 52m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 3-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Center Street, Marine Way East, Alaska Marine Highway - Chenega Bay-Kodiak for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $159.36 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
5 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
367.6 miles from Kodiak, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 9h 26m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 735.3 miles and 18h 52m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Center Street and Marine Way East.
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.
Center Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 18h 52m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. Navigation is simple, but the total wheel time makes endurance and break timing the real challenge.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Navigation is easy, but the length (18h 52m) 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 Kodiak, AK to North Pole, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Center Street | — | — |
| Marine Way East | — | — |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Chenega Bay-Kodiak | — | — |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Chenega Bay | — | — |
| West Camp Road | — | — |
| Portage Glacier Highway | — | — |
| Portage Glacier Road | — | — |
| Seward Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Center Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kodiak, AK and North Pole, AK.
1
Start on Mill Bay Road
20 ft
·
7 sec
·
Mill Bay Road
2
Turn left onto Center Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Center Street
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto Marine Way East
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
Marine Way East
4
Turn right
187 ft
·
14 sec
5
Turn left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Chenega Bay-Kodiak
225 mi
·
5 hr 30 min
·
Alaska Marine Highway - Chenega Bay-Kodiak
6
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Chenega Bay
79 mi
·
4 hr 30 min
·
Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Chenega Bay
7
Continue straight
374 ft
·
7 sec
8
At the end of the road, turn right onto West Camp Road
174 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Camp Road
9
Continue on West Camp Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Camp Road
10
Continue on Portage Glacier Highway
4.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Portage Glacier Highway
11
Continue on Portage Glacier Road
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Portage Glacier Road
12
Turn right onto Seward Highway
47 mi
·
58 min
·
Seward Highway
13
Continue on Ingra Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Ingra Street
14
Turn right onto East 6th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
15
Continue on East 5th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Avenue
16
Continue on Glenn Highway
33 mi
·
38 min
·
Glenn Highway
17
Keep slight left to continue on East Parks Highway
15 mi
·
20 min
·
East Parks Highway
18
Continue on West Parks Highway
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
West Parks Highway
19
Continue on George Parks Highway
301 mi
·
6 hr
·
George Parks Highway
20
Continue on Robert Mitchell Expressway
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Robert Mitchell Expressway
21
Keep slight right
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
22
Merge slight left onto Richardson Highway
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Richardson Highway
23
Continue on New Richardson Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
New Richardson Highway
24
Continue on Richardson Highway
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Richardson Highway
25
Take the exit slight right toward Badger Road, Santa Claus Lane
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Badger Road, Santa Claus Lane
26
Turn straight onto North Santa Claus Lane
476 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Santa Claus Lane
27
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward North Santa Claus Lane
118 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Santa Claus Lane
28
Exit the roundabout onto North Santa Claus Lane
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
North Santa Claus Lane
29
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
348 ft
·
17 sec
·
4th Avenue
30
Turn right onto Snowman Lane
148 ft
·
12 sec
·
Snowman Lane
31
Turn left onto Fourth Avenue
197 ft
·
9 sec
·
Fourth Avenue
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 3-day trip.
Plan roughly 5 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 367.6 miles from Kodiak, AK, or about 9h 26m 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 162 miles or 4h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 367.6 miles or 9h 26m 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 245.1 miles or 6h 17m
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 17h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Pole, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kodiak, 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 Kodiak, AK
Aim for roughly 245 miles and 6.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 245 miles and 6.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Finish the approach into North Pole, AK
Aim for roughly 245 miles and 6.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 162 miles from Kodiak, AK.
This route usually feels better as a 3-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 5 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 367.6 mi from Kodiak, AK · 9h 26m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
243 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
485 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 Ester, AKOvernight Options
Night 1
245 mi · about 6.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Meadow Lakes, AK after about 245 miles or 6.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 2
490 mi · about 12.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Ester, AK after about 490 miles or 12.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 162 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 367.6 miles from Kodiak, 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 245 miles or 6.3 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 North Pole, AK
The final approach into North Pole, 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 North Pole, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach North Pole, 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
$159.36 one way
$318.73 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
257 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $167.58 | $335.17 |
| premium | $5.98 | $173.11 | $346.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $162.34 | $324.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$159
Hotel (2n)
$160–$280
Meals
$75–$150
Total
$394–$589
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 257.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $77 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 220.6 | 2 | $77.21 | $35.29 |
| Efficient EV | 183.8 | 2 | $64.34 | $29.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 294.1 | 3 | $102.94 | $47.06 |
Gas CO2
257 kg
EV CO2
86 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 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
North Pole, AK
Evening in North Pole on Wednesday
Local time
8:40 PM
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
7 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
18h 52m 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 Kodiak, AK to North Pole, AK covers 735.3 miles and takes about 18h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Center Street, Marine Way East, Alaska Marine Highway - Chenega Bay-Kodiak. 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 3-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 245 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 367.6 miles from Kodiak, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $159.36 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 5 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 (18h 52m) 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 Kodiak, AK to North Pole, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Kodiak, AK to North Pole, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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