Connecting Northport to Montgomery, this 105.9-mile journey across Alabama is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 2 hours and 19 minutes. Because the distance is relatively short, you can easily complete this drive in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $16 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Southeast locations. Navigating this route involves a mix of local roads, specifically McFarland Boulevard East, I-359, and Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that serves well for those looking to reach the state capital efficiently while keeping travel logistics simple.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53 miles from Northport, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 9m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 19m. Total distance: 105.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 105.9-mile trek. With only about 3% of the journey spent on highways, you will spend the vast majority of your time navigating local thoroughfares. The road features a significant 89-mile stretch on McFarland Boulevard East, which serves as the backbone of your travel. This configuration requires your full attention, as the route is less about high-speed cruising and more about steady, technical navigation through the Alabama landscape. You will find that the road's personality remains consistent as you transition between these local arteries.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
McFarland Boulevard East is the longest continuous segment at about 89 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
568 ft169 ft
Total Climb
494 ft
Total Descent
553 ft
Highest Point
568 ft
~53 mi in
Elevation Range
399 ft
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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 105.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (19th Street): Navigation decision point; at 104.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|19th Street
Turn left onto 19th Street
Navigation decision point
6
104.4 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 85 North: Atlanta
6
105.1 mi into trip|~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward Court Street, Union Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1
Toward Court Street, Union Street
6
105.9 mi into trip|~2h 19m in|South Union Street
At end of road, turn left onto South Union Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
McFarland Boulevard East
89 mi
1h 54m
I 359
2.8 mi
3m
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard
1.9 mi
3m
Old Montgomery Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Cobbs Ford Road
0.8 mi
<1m
I 85
0.6 mi
<1m
Arba Street
0.4 mi
1m
Skyland Boulevard East
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
McFarland Boulevard East
— 89 mi, about 1h 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northport, AL and Montgomery, AL.
1
Start on this road
198 ft·16 sec·this road
2
Turn right
74 ft·11 sec
3
Turn left onto 19th Street
119 ft·8 sec·19th Street
4
Turn right onto US 43; AL 69
1.9 mi·3 min·Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.3 mi·24 sec·I 359; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 359; US 11; AL 69
2.4 mi·2 min·I 359; US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn left onto US 11
0.3 mi·32 sec·Skyland Boulevard East
Use the left lane.
8
Turn slight right
223 ft·9 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Turn slight right onto AL 215
1.8 mi·2 min·Old Montgomery Highway
10
Turn right onto US 82
89 mi·1 hr 54 min·McFarland Boulevard East
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto US 82; AL 14
0.8 mi·56 sec·Cobbs Ford Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
7.6 mi·9 min
13
Take the exit
393 ft·9 sec
Exit 171Toward I-85 North: Atlanta
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 85 North: Atlanta
15
Continue on I 85
0.6 mi·52 sec·I 85
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 1Toward Court Street, Union Street
17
Continue on Arba Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Arba Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Turn right onto South Decatur Street
462 ft·12 sec·South Decatur Street
19
Turn left onto Winnie Street
440 ft·24 sec·Winnie Street
20
At end of road, turn left onto South Union Street
187 ft·3 sec·South Union Street
21
Arrive at destination
South Union Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable day trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. Because there are no designated stops required by the route data, you can comfortably make the 2-hour and 19-minute drive in one go if you prefer. Keep in mind that the heavy reliance on local roads like Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard means traffic patterns can fluctuate, so check your navigation app before pulling out of Northport. To keep your logistics smooth, ensure you have your $16 fuel budget set aside before you leave. Given the turn-heavy nature of the route, stay alert for lane changes and intersections, especially during the long 89-mile stretch on McFarland Boulevard East.
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 53 miles from Northport, AL, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89 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 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Montgomery, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Northport, AL 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 Northport, AL
This is one driving day of about 105.9 miles and 2h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Northport, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on McFarland Boulevard East for about 89 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53 mi from Northport, AL
· 1h 9m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.99 one way
$31.99 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$17.56
$35.11
premium
$4.56
$19.01
$38.02
diesel
$5.61
$23.38
$46.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.1 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
31.8
0
$11.12
$5.08
Efficient EV
26.5
0
$9.27
$4.24
EV Truck/SUV
42.4
0
$14.83
$6.78
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Northport, AL
Late night
in Northport on Saturday
Local time
12:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Montgomery, AL
Late night
in Montgomery on Saturday
Local time
12:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°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
2h 19m 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 Northport, AL to Montgomery, AL covers 105.9 miles and takes about 2h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are McFarland Boulevard East, I 359, Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53 miles from Northport, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.99 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 is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 105.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (19th Street): Navigation decision point; at 104.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Northport, AL to Montgomery, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 169 ft to 568 ft elevation with about 494 ft of total climbing.
