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Trip from Madawaska, ME to Back Settlement, ME

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 13m

Distance

39 mi

63 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 7m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m

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

Downtown Madawaska, ME, ME

Madawaska, ME

Merve Tuncay

Downtown Back Settlement, ME, ME

Back Settlement, ME

www.kaboompics.com

Trip Overview

The drive from Madawaska, ME to Back Settlement, ME covers 39 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Saint John Road, Route 120, Rue Saint-François for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.3 miles on Saint John Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.28 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

19.5 miles from Madawaska, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 32m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 13m drive with frequent turns across 39 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Saint John Road is the longest continuous segment at about 10.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Vital Drive.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Vital Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (Bridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Promenade des Veterans): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

4
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | Vital Drive

Turn right onto Vital Drive

Navigation decision point

4
0.9 mi into trip | ~3m in | Bridge Street

Turn right onto Bridge Street

Navigation decision point

5
1.2 mi into trip | ~4m in | Promenade des Veterans

Keep slight left at fork onto Promenade des Veterans

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
1.3 mi into trip | ~4m in | Rue Saint-François

At end of road, turn left onto Rue Saint-François

Navigation decision point

5
37.1 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in | Sunset Drive

Turn sharp left onto Sunset Drive

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Saint John Road 10.3 mi 18m
Route 120 6.4 mi 9m
Rue Saint-François 5.4 mi 8m
Main Street 4.9 mi 9m
Rue Principale 4.1 mi 7m
Rue Centrale 2.1 mi 3m
Sunset Drive 1.9 mi 7m
Route 161 1.6 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Saint John Road — 10.3 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Madawaska, ME and Back Settlement, ME.

1

Start on North 6th Avenue

47 ft · 5 sec · North 6th Avenue
2

Turn right onto US 1

0.6 mi · 1 min · Main Street
3

Turn right onto Vital Drive

0.2 mi · 1 min · Vital Drive
4

Turn right onto Bridge Street

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Bridge Street
5

Continue on Rue Bridge

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Rue Bridge
6

Keep slight left at fork onto Promenade des Veterans

299 ft · 10 sec · Promenade des Veterans
7

At end of road, turn left onto Rue Saint-François

5.4 mi · 8 min · Rue Saint-François
8

Continue on NB 120

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Route 120
9

Continue on NB 120

2.1 mi · 3 min · Rue Centrale
10

Continue on NB 120

2.9 mi · 4 min · Route 120
11

Continue on NB 120

2.7 mi · 4 min · Rue Principale
12

Continue on NB 120

3.1 mi · 4 min · Route 120
13

Continue on NB 161

1.6 mi · 2 min · Route 161
14

Continue on NB 161

1.4 mi · 3 min · Rue Principale
15

Turn left onto NB 161

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Clair-Fort Kent Bridge
16

At end of road, turn right onto ME 161

1.4 mi · 4 min · West Main Street
17

Continue on ME 161

10 mi · 18 min · Saint John Road
18

Continue on ME 161

4.3 mi · 7 min · Main Street
19

Turn sharp left onto Sunset Drive

1.9 mi · 7 min · Sunset Drive
20

Arrive at destination

Sunset Drive

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 19.5 miles from Madawaska, ME, or about 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10.3 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 39 miles or 1h 13m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 19.5 miles or 32m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 58m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Back Settlement, ME than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Madawaska, ME 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 Madawaska, ME

This is one driving day of about 39 miles and 1h 13m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Madawaska, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Saint John Road for about 10.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 19.5 mi from Madawaska, ME · 32m into the drive

Downtown Washburn, ME, ME

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washburn, ME

20 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

Washburn, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Washburn, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.5 miles from Madawaska, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Back Settlement, ME

The final approach into Back Settlement, ME 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 Back Settlement, ME.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.28 one way

$12.56 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $6.91 $13.82
premium $4.86 $7.47 $14.94
diesel $5.61 $8.61 $17.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.7 0 $4.10 $1.87
Efficient EV 9.8 0 $3.41 $1.56
EV Truck/SUV 15.6 0 $5.46 $2.50

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Madawaska, ME

Morning in Madawaska on Wednesday

Local time

7:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

38°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Back Settlement, ME

Morning in Back Settlement on Wednesday

Local time

7:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

56°F

Washburn, ME

20 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.

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

14 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

1h 13m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Madawaska, ME to Back Settlement, ME covers 39 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Saint John Road, Route 120, Rue Saint-François. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.5 miles from Madawaska, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.28 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Vital Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (Bridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Promenade des Veterans): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Madawaska, ME to Back Settlement, ME does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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