Origin
Merrimack, NH
Morning in Merrimack on Saturday
Local time
11:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Merrimack, NH to Alton, NH
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
50.9 mi
82 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Merrimack, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Alton, NH
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
The drive from Merrimack, NH to Alton, NH covers 50.9 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Suncook Valley Road, Everett Turnpike, Suncook Valley Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.2 miles on Suncook Valley Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 50.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 24m drive with frequent turns across 50.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Suncook Valley Road is the longest continuous segment at about 17.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.9 miles you will encounter 15 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 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.4 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
4.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward Concord, Nashua
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Concord, Nashua
6
4.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Bedford, Manchester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Bedford, Manchester
5
18.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
19.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 3; NH 28 / Hooksett Road
Turn left onto US 3; NH 28 / Hooksett Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Merrimack, NH and Alton, NH, road signs point toward Concord, Nashua, Bedford, Manchester and Hooksett.
Concord
4.2 mi in
|
~9m
Nashua
4.2 mi in
|
~9m
Bedford
4.7 mi in
|
~10m
Manchester
4.7 mi in
|
~10m
Hooksett
17.1 mi in
|
~27m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Suncook Valley Road | 17.2 mi | 26m |
| Everett Turnpike | 11.6 mi | 14m |
| Suncook Valley Highway | 7.2 mi | 11m |
| Daniel Webster Highway | 3.8 mi | 8m |
| Pinewood Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Hooksett Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Route 28 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| College Park Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Suncook Valley Road
— 17.2 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Merrimack, NH and Alton, NH.
1
Start on Loop Road
83 ft
·
5 sec
·
Loop Road
2
Turn straight onto US 3
3.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Daniel Webster Highway
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 3
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
South River Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Concord, Nashua
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto Raymond Wieczorek Drive
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Raymond Wieczorek Drive
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward Bedford, Manchester
7
Merge onto Everett Turnpike
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Everett Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 93
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Everett Turnpike
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward Hooksett
10
Turn left onto Hackett Hill Road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Hackett Hill Road
11
Turn left onto NH 3A
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
West River Road
12
Turn right onto Riverside Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Street
13
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn straight onto College Park Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
College Park Drive
15
Turn left onto US 3; NH 28
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Hooksett Road
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on US 3; NH 28
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Allenstown Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn right onto NH 28
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Pinewood Road
18
Continue on NH 28
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 28
19
Continue on NH 28
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Suncook Valley Highway
20
Enter roundabout onto NH 28
208 ft
·
5 sec
·
Suncook Valley Highway
21
Continue on NH 28
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Suncook Valley Highway
22
Continue on NH 28
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Suncook Valley Road
23
Continue on NH 28
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Suncook Valley Highway
24
Continue on NH 28
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Suncook Valley Road
Use the straight lane.
25
Continue on NH 28
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Suncook Valley Highway
26
Continue on NH 28
12 mi
·
18 min
·
Suncook Valley Road
Use the right lane.
27
Enter roundabout onto NH 11; NH 28A
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
NH 11; NH 28A
28
Continue on NH 11; NH 28A
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
NH 11; NH 28A
29
Turn left
336 ft
·
24 sec
30
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.4 mi from Merrimack, NH · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.4 miles from Merrimack, NH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alton, NH
The final approach into Alton, NH usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.19 one way
$16.39 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.02 | $18.03 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.75 | $19.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.24 | $22.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.79
Everett Turnpike
(11.2 mi)
$0.79
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.34 | $2.44 |
| Efficient EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Alton, NH
Morning in Alton on Saturday
Local time
11:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
17 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 24m 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 Merrimack, NH to Alton, NH covers 50.9 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Suncook Valley Road, Everett Turnpike, Suncook Valley Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.4 miles from Merrimack, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.19 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 50.9 miles you will encounter 15 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 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.4 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Between Merrimack, NH and Alton, NH, road signs point toward Concord, Nashua, Bedford, Manchester and Hooksett.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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