Scranton to Kulpmont is 81.3 miles and takes about 1h 40m via American Legion Memorial Highway, Sunbury Road, and Locust Gap Highway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region, offering a straightforward trip through local roads. Expect a route that involves frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway driving. It’s a relatively short journey, making it ideal for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.6 miles from Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Scranton is a city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is near Wilkes-Barre, and is the seventh most populous city in the state. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting of the hit TV show "The Office" and the birthplace of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be navigating local roads for the entire 81.3 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 67.5 miles on the American Legion Memorial Highway, offering a period of consistent travel before encountering more varied road conditions. Expect to engage with the local road network, requiring attention to navigation and frequent adjustments. The journey progresses by connecting various local routes, rather than following a single major highway.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
American Legion Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 67.5 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 around 0.1 miles in near Lackawanna Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 40m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 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|Lackawanna Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|River Street
Turn left onto River Street
Navigation decision point
5
81 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|PA 61 / Chestnut Street
Turn left onto PA 61 / Chestnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
81.3 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|South 9th Street
Turn left onto South 9th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
American Legion Memorial Highway
67.5 mi
1h 19m
Sunbury Road
4.3 mi
4m
Locust Gap Highway
3.6 mi
4m
Fairgrounds Road
2.2 mi
2m
Brennans Farm Road
1.3 mi
3m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Chestnut Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
American Legion Memorial Highway
— 67.5 mi, about 1h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scranton, PA and Kulpmont, PA.
1
Start on Wyoming Avenue
0.1 mi·38 sec·Wyoming Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
0.2 mi·24 sec·Lackawanna Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 3023
0.2 mi·22 sec·Cedar Avenue
4
Continue on Cedar Avenue
400 ft·12 sec·Cedar Avenue
5
Turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi·1 min·River Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
7
Merge onto I 81
68 mi·1 hr 19 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward PA 901: Minersville
9
Turn right onto PA 901
4.3 mi·4 min·Sunbury Road
10
Continue on PA 901
2.2 mi·2 min·Fairgrounds Road
11
Continue on PA 901
0.3 mi·43 sec·Locust Gap Highway
12
Continue on PA 54; PA 901
3.2 mi·3 min·Locust Gap Highway
13
Turn left onto Brennans Farm Road
1.3 mi·3 min·Brennans Farm Road
14
Continue on South 6th Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·South 6th Street
15
Turn left onto PA 61
0.3 mi·59 sec·Chestnut Street
16
Turn left onto South 9th Street
114 ft·5 sec·South 9th Street
17
Arrive at destination
South 9th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 1h 40m duration, leaving Scranton in the morning or early afternoon should provide ample time to reach Kulpmont before evening. With only 81.3 miles and no specific stops recommended, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $13 and local roads can sometimes present longer distances between services than major highways. A good tip for this drive is to utilize GPS actively, as the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile suggests frequent navigation changes.
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 40.6 miles from Scranton, PA, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.5 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.6 miles or 49m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kulpmont, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scranton, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 81.3 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Scranton, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on American Legion Memorial Highway for about 67.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 40.6 mi from Scranton, PA
· 49m into the drive
The midpoint is around 40.6 miles from Scranton, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before American Legion Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 67.5 miles.
Arriving in Kulpmont, PA
The final approach into Kulpmont, PA 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 70.1
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.4
0
$8.54
$3.90
Efficient EV
20.3
0
$7.11
$3.25
EV Truck/SUV
32.5
0
$11.38
$5.20
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
9:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Kulpmont, PA
Morning
in Kulpmont on Saturday
Local time
9:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 40m 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 Scranton, PA to Kulpmont, PA covers 81.3 miles and takes about 1h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are American Legion Memorial Highway, Sunbury Road, Locust Gap Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.6 miles from Scranton, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.48 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 1h 40m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Scranton, PA to Kulpmont, PA 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
