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Trip from Rochester, NH to Danbury, NH

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 49m

Distance

62.7 mi

101 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 41m ★
6 AM
1h 49m
8 AM
2h 5m
10 AM
1h 55m
12 PM
1h 53m
3 PM
1h 56m
5 PM
2h 5m
8 PM
1h 45m

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

city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States

Rochester, NH

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Danbury, NH, NH

Danbury, NH

Mohan Nannapaneni

Trip Overview

The drive from Rochester, NH to Danbury, NH covers 62.7 miles and takes about 1h 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on NH 104, Ragged Mountain Highway, Mount Major Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14 miles on NH 104. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.09 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

31.3 miles from Rochester, NH

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 49m. Total distance: 62.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile.

Drive Character

The drive from Rochester, NH to Danbury, NH covers 62.7 miles and takes about 1h 49m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NH 104 is the longest continuous segment at about 14 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near NH 202A / Wakefield Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

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

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (NH 202A / Wakefield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (NH 202A): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 31.8 miles (NH 11B / Weirs Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | NH 202A / Wakefield Street

At end of road, turn right onto NH 202A / Wakefield Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | NH 202A

Keep slight left at fork onto NH 202A

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
31.8 mi into trip | ~53m in | NH 11B / Weirs Road

Turn right onto NH 11B / Weirs Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
38.9 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | US 3 / Daniel Webster Highway

Enter roundabout onto US 3 / Daniel Webster Highway

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
39.4 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in | NH 104

Turn left onto NH 104

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NH 104 14 mi 23m
Ragged Mountain Highway 8.2 mi 14m
Mount Major Highway 6.3 mi 10m
Henry Wilson Highway 6.2 mi 8m
NH Route 11 6.1 mi 9m
Lakeshore Road 4.6 mi 7m
Farmington Road 2.4 mi 4m
Mt. Major Highway 2.1 mi 4m
Longest stretch: NH 104 — 14 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rochester, NH and Danbury, NH.

1

Start on this road

51 ft · 3 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Hanson Street

247 ft · 15 sec · Hanson Street
3

At end of road, turn right onto NH 202A

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Wakefield Street
4

Keep slight left at fork onto NH 202A

0.2 mi · 27 sec · NH 202A
5

Turn right onto NH 202A

0.3 mi · 48 sec · North Main Street
6

Enter roundabout onto North Main Street

38 ft · 0 sec · North Main Street
7

Continue on North Main Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Continue on Farmington Road

2.4 mi · 4 min · Farmington Road
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on NH 11

6.1 mi · 9 min · NH Route 11
10

Continue on NH 11

6.2 mi · 8 min · Henry Wilson Highway
11

Enter roundabout onto NH 28

0.1 mi · 17 sec · NH 28
12

Continue on NH 28

1.7 mi · 2 min · NH 28
13

Turn left onto Bay Hill Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Bay Hill Road
14

Turn slight left onto NH 28A

177 ft · 5 sec · East Side Drive
15

Turn right onto NH 11

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Main Street
16

Continue on NH 11

2.1 mi · 4 min · Mt. Major Highway
17

Continue on NH 11

6.3 mi · 10 min · Mount Major Highway
18

Continue on NH 11

4.6 mi · 7 min · Lakeshore Road
19

Turn right onto NH 11B

2.0 mi · 4 min · Weirs Road
Use the right lane.
20

Continue on NH 11B

1.4 mi · 2 min · Endicott Street East
21

Enter roundabout onto US 3

79 ft · 1 sec · Daniel Webster Highway
22

Continue on US 3

114 ft · 1 sec · Daniel Webster Highway
23

Continue on US 3

2.1 mi · 4 min · Endicott Street North
24

Continue on US 3

1.5 mi · 3 min · Daniel Webster Highway
25

Enter roundabout onto US 3

117 ft · 6 sec · Daniel Webster Highway
26

Continue on US 3

0.4 mi · 1 min · Daniel Webster Highway
27

Turn left onto NH 104

8.2 mi · 12 min · NH 104
Use the left lane.
28

Continue on NH 104

5.8 mi · 10 min · NH 104
29

Continue on NH 104; NH 3A

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Pleasant Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
30

Continue on NH 104

0.9 mi · 2 min · Pleasant Street
31

Continue on NH 104

8.2 mi · 14 min · Ragged Mountain Highway
32

Arrive at destination

NH 104

Trip Plan

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 31.3 miles from Rochester, NH, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14 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 14 miles or 23m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 31.3 miles or 52m 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 31m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rochester, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Rochester, NH

This is one driving day of about 62.7 miles and 1h 49m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Rochester, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NH 104 for about 14 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.3 mi from Rochester, NH · 52m into the drive

Downtown Gilford, NH, NH

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gilford, NH

31 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

Alton, NH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gilford, NH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.3 miles from Rochester, NH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Danbury, NH

The final approach into Danbury, 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

$10.09 one way

$20.19 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $11.11 $22.21
premium $4.86 $12.01 $24.01
diesel $5.61 $13.84 $27.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.8 0 $6.58 $3.01
Efficient EV 15.7 0 $5.49 $2.51
EV Truck/SUV 25.1 0 $8.78 $4.01

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 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

Rochester, NH

Late night in Rochester on Saturday

Local time

2:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Danbury, NH

Late night in Danbury on Saturday

Local time

2:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

36°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

16 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 49m 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 Rochester, NH to Danbury, NH covers 62.7 miles and takes about 1h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are NH 104, Ragged Mountain Highway, Mount Major Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 31.3 miles from Rochester, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.09 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 62.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (NH 202A / Wakefield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (NH 202A): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 31.8 miles (NH 11B / Weirs Road): Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Rochester, NH to Danbury, NH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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