Origin
Smoke Rise, AL
Afternoon in Smoke Rise on Saturday
Local time
2:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smoke Rise, AL to Huntsville, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 33m
Distance
76 mi
122 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 26m
★
6 AM
1h 33m
8 AM
1h 47m
10 AM
1h 38m
12 PM
1h 37m
3 PM
1h 39m
5 PM
1h 47m
8 PM
1h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smoke Rise, AL
Marino Kurunić
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Smoke Rise, AL to Huntsville, AL covers 76 miles and takes about 1h 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Heroes Highway, I 565, Valley Trail for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.7 miles on Heroes Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.48 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
38 miles from Smoke Rise, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heroes Highway | 51.7 mi | 55m |
| I 565 | 18.9 mi | 20m |
| Valley Trail | 2.7 mi | 10m |
| Jefferson Street North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Crosshill Lane | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Bee Line Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Scenic Trail | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Spring Street Southwest | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Heroes Highway
— 51.7 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smoke Rise, AL and Huntsville, AL.
1
Start on this road
157 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Crosshill Lane
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosshill Lane
3
Turn right onto Scenic Trail
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Scenic Trail
4
Turn right onto Valley Trail
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Valley Trail
5
Continue on Valley Trail
1.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Valley Trail
6
Turn left onto US 31
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Bee Line Highway
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
8
Merge onto I 65
52 mi
·
55 min
·
Heroes Highway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 340
Toward I 565 East, AL 20 West, US 72 Alternate: Decatur, Huntsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 340A
Toward I 565 East, US 72 Alternate East: Huntsville
11
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
13
Continue on this road
395 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 19C
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
14
Keep slight right at fork
343 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto Jefferson Street North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Jefferson Street North
16
Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest
4 ft
·
0 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
17
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
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 38 miles from Smoke Rise, AL, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.7 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 17 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38 miles or 50m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Huntsville, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Smoke Rise, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Smoke Rise, AL
This is one driving day of about 76 miles and 1h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Smoke Rise, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Heroes Highway for about 51.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38 miles from Smoke Rise, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 75.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Crosshill Lane
Turn left onto Crosshill Lane
Navigation decision point
8
55.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 565 East, AL 20 West, US 72 Alternate: Decatur, Huntsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 340
Toward I 565 East, AL 20 West, US 72 Alternate:...
7
55.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 565 East, US 72 Alternate East: Huntsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 340A
Toward I 565 East, US 72 Alternate East: Huntsv...
5
75.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 31m in
Take the exit toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Do...
9
75.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.48 one way
$22.96 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $12.60 | $25.20 |
| premium | $4.56 | $13.64 | $27.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.78 | $33.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.98 | $3.65 |
| Efficient EV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.4 | 0 | $10.64 | $4.86 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Huntsville, AL
Afternoon in Huntsville on Saturday
Local time
2:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
1 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
1h 33m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
76 mi in 1h 33m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.7 mi on Heroes Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Crosshill Lane.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 76 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: near the start (Crosshill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 55.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles (32 km) from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 33m. Total distance: 76 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.7 miles on Heroes Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Huntsville, AL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Crosshill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 55.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Huntsville, AL before heading back.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Huntsville, AL
More trips to Huntsville, AL
Explore more options from Smoke Rise, AL or browse trips ending in Huntsville, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.