Drive Time
35h 27m
Distance
1632.3 mi
2,627 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
4-day trip
Fuel Cost
$318
one way
Photo: Luke Miller
The drive from Palmer, AK to Ketchikan, AK covers 1632.3 miles and takes about 35h 27m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on South Alaska Street, West Arctic Avenue, Glenn Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $318.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 4 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
10 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
816.1 miles from Palmer, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 17h 43m into the drive .
At 1632.3 miles and 35h 27m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are South Alaska Street and West Arctic Avenue.
At 35h 27m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 0 significant decision points across 1632.3 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?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palmer, AK to Ketchikan, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Alaska Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Arctic Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Glenn Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Richardson Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Tok Cutoff | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cassiar Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Yellowhead Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, AK and Ketchikan, AK.
Start on South Colony Way
Continue on South Alaska Street
Turn left onto West Arctic Avenue
Turn right onto Glenn Highway
At the end of the road, turn left onto Richardson Highway
Turn right onto Tok Cutoff
Turn right onto Alaska Highway
Continue on Alaska Highway
Turn right onto Cassiar Highway
Continue on Cassiar Highway
At the end of the road, turn right onto Yellowhead Highway
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Yellowhead Highway
Exit the roundabout onto Yellowhead Highway
Continue on Keith Avenue
Turn right onto Yellowhead Highway
At the end of the road, turn left onto Yellowhead Highway
Continue on McBride Street
Continue on 2nd Avenue West
Continue on Park Avenue
Continue on Yellowhead Highway
Keep slight left to continue on Yellowhead Highway
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway
Continue on 9
Turn right onto Alaska Marine Highway
Continue on Alaska Marine Highway - Prince Rupert ↔ Ketchikan
Continue on Main Berth Ramp
Continue on Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
At the end of the road, turn right onto Tongass Avenue
Turn right onto Water Street
Turn right onto Front Street
Turn right
Arrive at your destination
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.
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 220 miles or 4h 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 816.1 miles or 17h 43m 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 408.1 miles or 8h 51m
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 34h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ketchikan, AK than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Palmer, 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 4-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palmer, AK
Aim for roughly 408 miles and 8.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 408 miles and 8.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 408 miles and 8.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Ketchikan, AK
Aim for roughly 408 miles and 8.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 816.1 mi from Palmer, AK · 17h 43m into the drive
Early stop town
Coffee and fuel
408 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.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
816 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 Skagway, AKLate stop town
Final reset
1224 mi into the route
Best for: Food, fuel, and one last short break
This is a smart final reset before the arrival run into Ketchikan, AK.
Night 1
408 mi · about 8.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near Tok, AK after about 408 miles or 8.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 2
816 mi · about 17.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Skagway, AK after about 816 miles or 17.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 3
1224 mi · about 26.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Wrangell, AK after about 1224 miles or 26.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 220 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 816.1 miles from Palmer, 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 408 miles or 8.9 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.
The final approach into Ketchikan, 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 Ketchikan, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Ketchikan, 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.
Regular Gas
$318.17 one way
$636.34 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $343.04 | $686.08 |
| premium | $5.57 | $357.69 | $715.38 |
| diesel | $6.37 | $409.10 | $818.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$318
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$658–$938
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 571.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $171 in charging · 6 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 489.7 | 6 | $171.39 | $78.35 |
| Efficient EV | 408.1 | 4 | $142.83 | $65.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 652.9 | 8 | $228.52 | $104.47 |
Gas CO2
571 kg
EV CO2
191 kg (67% less)
This is a long EV road trip requiring 6 charging stops. Plan your route around charger locations and allow extra time for charging.
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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Morning in Palmer on Saturday
Local time
11:45 AM
AKDT
Current temp
27°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Morning in Ketchikan on Saturday
Local time
11:45 AM
AKDT
Current temp
34°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
38°F
Tok, AK
408 mi in
33°F
Skagway, AK
816 mi in
39°F
Wrangell, AK
1224 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.
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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