Drive Time
52h 35m
Distance
873.2 mi
1,405 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
4-day trip
Fuel Cost
$190
one way
Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko
The drive from Skagway, AK to Homer, AK covers 873.2 miles and takes about 52h 35m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on State Street, 1st Avenue, Broadway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $190.04 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
15 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
436.6 miles from Skagway, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 26h 17m into the drive .
At 873.2 miles and 52h 35m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are State Street and 1st Avenue.
At 52h 35m, 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.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 873.2 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 Skagway, AK to Homer, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 1st Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Broadway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska State Ferry Haines-Skagway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Haines | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Camp Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Skagway, AK and Homer, AK.
Start on the route
Turn right onto State Street
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
Turn right onto Broadway
At the end of the road, turn right
Continue on Alaska State Ferry Haines-Skagway
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Haines
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Continue straight
At the end of the road, turn right onto West Camp Road
Continue on West Camp Road
Continue on Portage Glacier Highway
Continue on Portage Glacier Road
At the end of the road, turn left onto Seward Highway
Take the exit slight right
Turn left onto Greatland Street
Turn left
Arrive at your destination
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.
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 192 miles or 11h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 436.6 miles or 26h 17m 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 218.3 miles or 13h 8m
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 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Homer, AK than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Skagway, 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 Skagway, AK
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 13.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 13.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 13.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Homer, AK
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 13.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 436.6 mi from Skagway, AK · 26h 17m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
288 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
576 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Cohoe, AKNight 1
218 mi · about 13.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Girdwood, AK after about 218 miles or 13.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 2
437 mi · about 26.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Sterling, AK after about 437 miles or 26.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 3
655 mi · about 39.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Cohoe, AK after about 655 miles or 39.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 192 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 436.6 miles from Skagway, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 218 miles or 13.1 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
The final approach into Homer, 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 Homer, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Homer, 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.
Regular Gas
$190.04 one way
$380.08 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $199.91 | $399.82 |
| premium | $6.02 | $207.02 | $414.05 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $193.99 | $387.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$190
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$530–$810
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 305.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $92 in charging · 3 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 262 | 3 | $91.69 | $41.91 |
| Efficient EV | 218.3 | 2 | $76.41 | $34.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 349.3 | 4 | $122.25 | $55.88 |
Gas CO2
306 kg
EV CO2
102 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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Afternoon in Skagway on Saturday
Local time
2:19 PM
AKDT
Current temp
33°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Afternoon in Homer on Saturday
Local time
2:19 PM
AKDT
Current temp
30°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
30°F
Anchorage, AK
288 mi in
27°F
Cohoe, AK
576 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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