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Trip from Sanford, ME to South Windham, ME

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

31.5 mi

51 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m

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

Downtown Sanford, ME, ME

Sanford, ME

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown South Windham, ME, ME

South Windham, ME

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Sanford to South Windham is 31.5 miles and takes about 51 minutes via Main Street, Narragansett Trail, and Gray Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maine, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local driving experience with plenty of turns, making it a route you can easily navigate without feeling rushed. It's a straightforward drive perfect for a quick local excursion or as part of a larger journey.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

51m 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 feel, with no highway driving at all. You'll spend your time navigating through town and along local roads, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 8.2 miles on Main Street. The route progresses by taking you through a series of local streets, including Main Street, Narragansett Trail, and Gray Road. It's a driving experience that keeps you engaged with frequent changes in direction, rather than a monotonous cruise.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is the longest continuous segment at about 8.2 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 Washington Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 51m drive. You will face about 13 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (US 202; ME 4 / Oak Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.9 miles (US 202; ME 4; ME 5 / Main Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Washington Street

Turn right onto Washington Street

Navigation decision point

4
4 mi into trip | ~7m in | US 202; ME 4 / Oak Street

Turn left onto US 202; ME 4 / Oak Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
11.9 mi into trip | ~21m in | US 202; ME 4; ME 5 / Main Street

At end of road, turn right onto US 202; ME 4; ME 5 / Main Street

Navigation decision point

4
26.1 mi into trip | ~42m in | US 202; ME 4 / Narragansett Street

Enter roundabout onto US 202; ME 4 / Narragansett Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
30.9 mi into trip | ~49m in | US 202; ME 4 / Gray Road

Enter roundabout onto US 202; ME 4 / Gray Road toward Windham

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Toward Windham

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Main Street 8.2 mi 14m
Narragansett Trail 3.9 mi 4m
Gray Road 3.7 mi 6m
Hollis Road 3.1 mi 4m
Waterboro Road 2.5 mi 3m
Sanford Road 2.4 mi 3m
Narragansett Street 2.2 mi 2m
Bar Mills Road 2.1 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Main Street — 8.2 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sanford, ME and South Windham, ME.

1

Start on this road

89 ft · 8 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Washington Street

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Washington Street
3

Continue on River Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · River Street
4

Turn right onto US 202; ME 4A

1.2 mi · 3 min · Cottage Street
5

Continue on US 202; ME 4A

2.4 mi · 3 min · Sanford Road
6

Turn left onto US 202; ME 4

0.5 mi · 1 min · Oak Street
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on US 202; ME 4

2.5 mi · 3 min · Waterboro Road
8

Continue on US 202; ME 4

4.9 mi · 8 min · Main Street
9

At end of road, turn right onto US 202; ME 4; ME 5

1.2 mi · 2 min · Main Street
10

Continue on US 202; ME 4; ME 5

1.0 mi · 1 min · Bartletts Bridge Road
11

Continue on US 202; ME 4

3.1 mi · 4 min · Hollis Road
12

Turn left onto Main Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Main Street
13

Turn right onto ME 4A

2.1 mi · 3 min · Bar Mills Road
14

Continue on ME 4A

1.4 mi · 2 min · Main Street
15

Turn left onto US 202; ME 4

3.9 mi · 4 min · Narragansett Trail
16

Continue on US 202; ME 4

1.3 mi · 1 min · Narragansett Street
17

Enter roundabout onto US 202; ME 4

110 ft · 2 sec · Narragansett Street
18

Continue on US 202; ME 4

0.8 mi · 58 sec · Narragansett Street
19

Merge onto US 202; ME 4

0.2 mi · 15 sec · State Street
20

Continue on US 202; ME 4

0.5 mi · 39 sec · Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
21

Turn left onto US 202; ME 4

3.3 mi · 4 min · Gray Road
22

Enter roundabout onto US 202; ME 4

128 ft · 7 sec · Gray Road
Toward Windham
23

Continue on US 202; ME 4

0.5 mi · 1 min · Gray Road
Toward Windham
24

Turn right onto Depot Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Depot Street
25

Turn left

190 ft · 13 sec
26

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 15.8 mi from Sanford, ME · 27m into the drive

town in Maine, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Buxton, ME

16 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

Gorham, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Buxton, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.8 miles from Sanford, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in South Windham, ME

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into South Windham, ME 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

$5.07 one way

$10.14 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $5.58 $11.16
premium $4.86 $6.03 $12.06
diesel $5.61 $6.95 $13.91

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.5 0 $3.31 $1.51
Efficient EV 7.9 0 $2.76 $1.26
EV Truck/SUV 12.6 0 $4.41 $2.02

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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

Sanford, ME

Evening in Sanford on Friday

Local time

6:40 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

South Windham, ME

Evening in South Windham on Friday

Local time

6:40 PM

EDT

Current temp

57°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

6 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

51m 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 Sanford, ME to South Windham, ME covers 31.5 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Main Street, Narragansett Trail, Gray Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 15.8 miles from Sanford, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.07 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 51m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (US 202; ME 4 / Oak Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.9 miles (US 202; ME 4; ME 5 / Main Street): Navigation decision point.

The route from Sanford, ME to South Windham, ME 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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Explore More

Return Trip

South Windham, ME to Sanford, ME

Plan the drive back the other way.

31.5 mi 51m

Explore more options from Sanford, ME or browse trips ending in South Windham, ME.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse ME road trips.