Drive Time
49h 22m
Distance
974.8 mi
1,569 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
4-day trip
Fuel Cost
$212
one way
Photo: Luke Miller
The drive from Sterling, AK to Ketchikan, AK covers 974.8 miles and takes about 49h 22m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat, Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 334.5 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat. At current regular gas prices, budget about $212.15 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
14 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
487.4 miles from Sterling, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 27h 47m into the drive .
At 974.8 miles and 49h 22m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat and Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau.
At 49h 22m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near AK 1 / Sterling Highway.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 974.8 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 (AK 1 / Sterling Highway): Navigation decision point; at 87.4 miles (FFH 35 / Portage Glacier Road): Navigation decision point; at 433.2 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto AK 1 / Sterling Highway
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto FFH 35 / Portage Glacier Road
Navigation decision point
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
At end of road, turn right onto AK 7 / Tongass Avenue
Navigation decision point
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat | 334.5 mi | 22h |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau | 276.8 mi | 8h |
| Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat | 262.6 mi | 17h |
| Sterling Highway | 46 mi | 1h 7m |
| Seward Highway | 41.4 mi | 48m |
| Portage Glacier Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Portage Glacier Highway | 4.7 mi | 10m |
| Tongass Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
Step-by-step road directions between Sterling, AK and Ketchikan, AK.
Start on Great Land Street
Turn right onto AK 1
At end of road, turn left onto AK 1
Turn right onto FFH 35
Continue on Portage Glacier Highway
Continue on West Camp Road
Turn right
Turn left
Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau
Continue on Main Berth Ramp
Continue on Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
At end of road, turn right onto AK 7
Turn right onto AK 7
Turn right onto AK 7
Turn right
Arrive at 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 214 miles or 9h 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 487.4 miles or 27h 47m 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 243.7 miles or 11h 49m
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 47h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ketchikan, AK than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Sterling, 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 Sterling, AK
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Ketchikan, AK
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 12.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 487.4 mi from Sterling, AK · 27h 47m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
322 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
643 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 Palmer, AKNight 1
244 mi · about 12.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Anchorage, AK after about 244 miles or 12.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 2
487 mi · about 24.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Eagle River, AK after about 487 miles or 24.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsNight 3
731 mi · about 37h in
A practical overnight split lands near Girdwood, AK after about 731 miles or 37 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 214 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Halfway reset
Meal breakThe midpoint is around 487.4 miles from Sterling, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 334.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 244 miles or 12.3 hours on the road.
The final approach into Ketchikan, 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 Ketchikan, AK.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Ketchikan, AK with some flexibility left in the schedule.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$212.15 one way
$424.31 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $223.17 | $446.34 |
| premium | $6.02 | $231.11 | $462.22 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $216.57 | $433.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$212
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$552–$832
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 341.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $102 in charging · 3 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 292.4 | 3 | $102.35 | $46.79 |
| Efficient EV | 243.7 | 2 | $85.29 | $38.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 389.9 | 4 | $136.47 | $62.39 |
Gas CO2
341 kg
EV CO2
114 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 Sterling on Saturday
Local time
1:06 PM
AKDT
Current temp
46°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Afternoon in Ketchikan on Saturday
Local time
1:06 PM
AKDT
Current temp
34°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
30°F
Anchorage, AK
322 mi in
27°F
Palmer, AK
643 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.
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Sterling, AK or browse trips ending in Ketchikan, AK.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AK road trips.
Explore maps for Sterling, AK or Ketchikan, AK on MapSof.net.
