Trip from Palmer, AK to Wrangell, AK

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

52h 1m

Distance

889.8 mi

1,432 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

4-day trip

Fuel Cost

$193

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 141 min

4 AM

51h 14m ★

6 AM

52h 1m

8 AM

53h 35m

10 AM

52h 34m

12 PM

52h 24m

3 PM

52h 38m

5 PM

53h 30m

8 PM

51h 33m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Palmer, AK

Wikimedia Commons

Wrangell, AK

Barnabas Davoti

Trip Overview

The drive from Palmer, AK to Wrangell, AK covers 889.8 miles and takes about 52h 1m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on West Evergreen Avenue, Glenn Highway, East Parks Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $192.85 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

14 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

444.9 miles from Palmer, AK

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 26h into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

At 889.8 miles and 52h 1m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are West Evergreen Avenue and Glenn Highway.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

West Evergreen Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 52h 1m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. A moderate number of decision points keep you engaged without being stressful.

Route Complexity 6/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 889.8 miles you will encounter 0 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?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palmer, AK to Wrangell, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
West Evergreen Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Glenn Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
East Parks Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
East 5th Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Gambell Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Seward Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Portage Glacier Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
Portage Glacier Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: West Evergreen Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, AK and Wrangell, AK.

Start on South Colony Way

13 ft · 9 sec · South Colony Way

Turn left onto West Evergreen Avenue

0.3 mi · 42 sec · West Evergreen Avenue

Turn left onto Glenn Highway

7.0 mi · 10 min · Glenn Highway

Merge slight left onto East Parks Highway

515 ft · 6 sec · East Parks Highway

Continue on Glenn Highway

33 mi · 38 min · Glenn Highway

Continue on East 5th Avenue

1.5 mi · 3 min · East 5th Avenue

Turn left onto Gambell Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · Gambell Street

Continue on Seward Highway

47 mi · 57 min · Seward Highway

Turn left onto Portage Glacier Road

5.0 mi · 7 min · Portage Glacier Road

Continue on Portage Glacier Highway

4.7 mi · 10 min · Portage Glacier Highway

Continue on West Camp Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · West Camp Road

Turn right

171 ft · 8 sec

Turn left

249 ft · 4 sec

Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

334 mi · 22 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

263 mi · 17 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

Continue straight

174 ft · 6 sec

Turn right

351 ft · 26 sec

Continue on Alaska Marine Highway - Petersburg-Juneau

144 mi · 7 hr 45 min · Alaska Marine Highway - Petersburg-Juneau

Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Wrangell-Petersburg

46 mi · 3 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Wrangell-Petersburg

Continue straight

397 ft · 11 sec

Continue on 2nd Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · 2nd Street

Continue on Church Street

0.4 mi · 58 sec · Church Street

Turn left onto Bennett Street

308 ft · 10 sec · Bennett Street

Turn right

89 ft · 7 sec

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.

This drive is better paced as a 4-day trip.

Plan roughly 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 444.9 miles from Palmer, AK, or about 26h into the drive.

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 196 miles or 11h 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 444.9 miles or 26h 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 222.5 miles or 13h

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 48h 30m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wrangell, AK than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

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 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 3

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 4

Finish the approach into Wrangell, AK

Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 196 miles from Palmer, AK.

This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 14 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 444.9 mi from Palmer, AK · 26h into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Eagle River, AK

294 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.

Overnight Options

Night 1

Eagle River, AK

222 mi · about 13h in

A practical overnight split lands near Eagle River, AK after about 222 miles or 13 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Night 2

Anchorage, AK

445 mi · about 26h in

A practical overnight split lands near Anchorage, AK after about 445 miles or 26 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Night 3

Eagle River, AK

667 mi · about 39h in

A practical overnight split lands near Eagle River, AK after about 667 miles or 39 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Wasilla, AK

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 196 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Anchorage, AK

Meal break

The midpoint is around 444.9 miles from Palmer, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 222 miles or 13 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Wrangell, AK

The final approach into Wrangell, 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 Wrangell, AK.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Wrangell, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$192.85 one way

$385.70 round trip

$5.51/gal 25.4 MPG avg 311 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.79	$202.80	$405.59
premium	$5.98	$209.49	$418.98
diesel	$5.61	$196.46	$392.91

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$193

Hotel (3n)

$240–$420

Meals

$100–$200

Total

$533–$813

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 311.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $93 in charging · 3 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	266.9	3	$93.43	$42.71
Efficient EV	222.5	2	$77.86	$35.59
EV Truck/SUV	355.9	4	$124.57	$56.95

Gas CO2

311 kg

EV CO2

104 kg (67% less)

Plan for 3 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 1 hour from now

Origin

Palmer, AK

Late night in Palmer on Wednesday

Local time

3:40 AM

AKDT

Current temp

27°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Wrangell, AK

Late night in Wrangell on Wednesday

Local time

3:40 AM

AKDT

Current temp

50°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.

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

23 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

52h 1m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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 Wrangell, AK covers 889.8 miles and takes about 52h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West Evergreen Avenue, Glenn Highway, East Parks Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 4-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 222 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 444.9 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 $192.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palmer, AK to Wrangell, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Palmer, AK to Wrangell, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More from Palmer, AK

Dutch Harbor, AK 1240 mi · 57h 45m Ketchikan, AK 977.6 mi · 49h 18m Prudhoe Bay, AK 826.5 mi · 23h 6m North Pole, AK 340.2 mi · 6h 57m Fairbanks, AK 327.5 mi · 6h 42m Fritz Creek, AK 276.9 mi · 6h 19m

More trips to Wrangell, AK

Kodiak, AK 1093 mi Homer, AK 973.1 mi

Explore more options from Palmer, AK or browse trips ending in Wrangell, AK.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AK road trips.

Explore maps for Palmer, AK or Wrangell, AK on MapSof.net.