The drive from Sitka, AK to Metlakatla, AK covers 458.7 miles and takes about 18h 36m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 3-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Sitka-Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Metlakatla for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 276.8 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $99.42 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 3 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
5 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
229.4 miles from Sitka, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 11h 41m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
18h 36m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 18h 36m drive with frequent turns across 458.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau is the longest continuous segment at about 276.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 458.7 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?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (F-99 / Halibut Point Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 160.8 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road
Turn left onto S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|F-99 / Halibut Point Road
Enter roundabout onto F-99 / Halibut Point Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
160.8 mi into trip|~9h 43m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Sitka National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On an island amid towering spruce and hemlock, Sitka National Historical Park preserves the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and Indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit. Totem poles from Tlingit...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$99.42 one way
$198.83 round trip
$5.51/gal25.4 MPG avg161 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.79
$104.54
$209.09
premium
$5.98
$107.99
$215.99
diesel
$5.61
$101.28
$202.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$99
Hotel (2n)
$160–$280
Meals
$75–$150
Total
$334–$529
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 160.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $48 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
137.6
1
$48.16
$22.02
Efficient EV
114.7
1
$40.14
$18.35
EV Truck/SUV
183.5
2
$64.22
$29.36
Gas CO2
160 kg
EV CO2
54 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Sitka, AK
Afternoon
in Sitka on Friday
Local time
12:21 PM
AKDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Metlakatla, AK
Afternoon
in Metlakatla on Friday
Local time
12:21 PM
AKDT
Current temp
41°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
3 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
18h 36m 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 Sitka, AK to Metlakatla, AK covers 458.7 miles and takes about 18h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Sitka-Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Metlakatla. 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 3-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 153 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 229.4 miles from Sitka, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $99.42 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 5 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 458.7 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (F-99 / Halibut Point Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 160.8 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
The route from Sitka, AK to Metlakatla, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Sitka National Historical Park.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
