Origin
Palmer, AK
Late night in Palmer on Friday
Local time
5:10 AM
AKDT
Current temp
24°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmer, AK to Anchorage, AK
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmer, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Anchorage, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Palmer to Anchorage is 43 miles and takes about 55 minutes via Glenn Highway, East 5th Avenue, and West Evergreen Avenue, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day drive connecting two locations within Alaska. Expect a route that features numerous turns, making it more of a local navigation experience than a long-haul highway journey. Given the short distance and duration, you'll find plenty of flexibility in your timing for this trip.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll encounter frequent changes in direction rather than extended periods on a single highway. With a 0% highway share, you won't be cruising on interstates here. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 40.1 miles on Glenn Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before the local roads take over. As you progress, the route transitions from a more open highway feel to navigating through local streets, requiring your attention to navigation.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Glenn Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 40.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Evergreen Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 55m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Evergreen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.9 miles (I Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Evergreen Avenue
Turn left onto West Evergreen Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Turn left onto AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
42.9 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
I Street
Turn right onto I Street
Navigation decision point
5
43 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
West 4th Avenue
Turn left onto West 4th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
43 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Highway | 40.1 mi | 48m |
| East 5th Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| West Evergreen Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Parks Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| I Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 4th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Colony Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Glenn Highway
— 40.1 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, AK and Anchorage, AK.
1
Start on South Colony Way
12 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Colony Way
2
Turn left onto West Evergreen Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
West Evergreen Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto AK 1
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Glenn Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto AK 3
516 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Parks Highway
5
Continue on AK 1
33 mi
·
38 min
·
Glenn Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on AK 1
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Turn right onto I Street
358 ft
·
17 sec
·
I Street
8
Turn left onto West 4th Avenue
120 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 4th Avenue
9
Turn left
85 ft
·
6 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Palmer, AK · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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
First break window
Fuel and coffeeA short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Palmer, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Anchorage, AK
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Anchorage, AK if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.32 one way
$18.64 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $9.80 | $19.60 |
| premium | $5.98 | $10.12 | $20.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 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 | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Anchorage, AK
Late night in Anchorage on Friday
Local time
5:10 AM
AKDT
Current temp
27°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
3 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
55m 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 Palmer, AK to Anchorage, AK covers 43 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Glenn Highway, East 5th Avenue, West Evergreen Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 miles from Palmer, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.32 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 straightforward 55m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Evergreen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.9 miles (I Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Palmer, AK to Anchorage, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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