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Trip from Wasilla, AK to Metlakatla, AK

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

50h 6m

Distance

997 mi

1,604 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

4-day trip

Fuel Cost

$216

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 135 min
4 AM
49h 21m ★
6 AM
50h 6m
8 AM
51h 36m
10 AM
50h 38m
12 PM
50h 29m
3 PM
50h 42m
5 PM
51h 32m
8 PM
49h 39m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Alaska, USA

Wasilla, AK

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Metlakatla, AK, AK

Metlakatla, AK

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Wasilla, AK to Metlakatla, AK covers 997 miles and takes about 50h 6m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on East Parks Highway, Glenn Highway, East 5th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $216.08 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

498.5 miles from Wasilla, AK

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 25h 3m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Solo Traveler

50h 6m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-distance drive route profile.

Drive Character

At 997 miles and 50h 6m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are East Parks Highway and Glenn Highway.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Parks Highway is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 50h 6m, 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.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

Navigation is easy, but the length (50h 6m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Wasilla, AK to Metlakatla, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East Parks Highway
Glenn Highway
East 5th Avenue
Gambell Street
Seward Highway
Portage Glacier Road
Portage Glacier Highway
West Camp Road

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: East Parks Highway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wasilla, AK and Metlakatla, AK.

1

Start on Main Street

16 ft · 8 sec · Main Street
2

Turn left onto East Parks Highway

7.9 mi · 10 min · East Parks Highway
3

Continue on Glenn Highway

33 mi · 38 min · Glenn Highway
4

Continue on East 5th Avenue

1.5 mi · 3 min · East 5th Avenue
5

Turn left onto Gambell Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · Gambell Street
6

Continue on Seward Highway

47 mi · 57 min · Seward Highway
7

Turn left onto Portage Glacier Road

5.0 mi · 7 min · Portage Glacier Road
8

Continue on Portage Glacier Highway

4.7 mi · 10 min · Portage Glacier Highway
9

Continue on West Camp Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · West Camp Road
10

Turn right

171 ft · 8 sec
11

Turn left

249 ft · 4 sec
12

Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

334 mi · 22 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
13

Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

263 mi · 17 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
14

Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau

277 mi · 8 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau
15

Continue on Main Berth Ramp

197 ft · 34 sec · Main Berth Ramp
16

Continue on Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
17

At the end of the road, turn right onto Tongass Avenue

226 ft · 7 sec · Tongass Avenue
18

Turn right

128 ft · 9 sec
19

Turn left

180 ft · 6 sec
20

At the end of the road, turn right

335 ft · 34 sec
21

Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Metlakatla

19 mi · 44 min · Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Metlakatla
22

Continue on Ferry Terminal Roas

459 ft · 37 sec · Ferry Terminal Roas
23

Turn right onto Walden Point Road

1.1 mi · 4 min · Walden Point Road
24

Continue on Tait Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Tait Street
25

Turn left onto 4th Avenue

174 ft · 8 sec · 4th Avenue
26

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.

This drive is better paced as a 4-day trip.
Plan roughly 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 498.5 miles from Wasilla, AK, or about 25h 3m into the drive.

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 219 miles or 11h in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 498.5 miles or 25h 3m 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 249.2 miles or 12h 31m

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 5m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Metlakatla, AK than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Wasilla, 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 Wasilla, AK

Aim for roughly 249 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 249 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 3

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 249 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 4

Finish the approach into Metlakatla, AK

Aim for roughly 249 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 219 miles from Wasilla, AK.
This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 14 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 498.5 mi from Wasilla, AK · 25h 3m into the drive

community in Alaska, USA

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Eagle River, AK

329 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.

Overnight Options

Night 1

Gateway, AK

249 mi · about 12.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Gateway, AK after about 249 miles or 12.5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Night 2

Anchorage, AK

499 mi · about 25.1h in

A practical overnight split lands near Anchorage, AK after about 499 miles or 25.1 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Night 3

Eagle River, AK

748 mi · about 37.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near Eagle River, AK after about 748 miles or 37.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Gateway, AK

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 219 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Anchorage, AK

Meal break

The midpoint is around 498.5 miles from Wasilla, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 249 miles or 12.5 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Metlakatla, AK

The final approach into Metlakatla, 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 Metlakatla, AK.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Metlakatla, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$216.08 one way

$432.16 round trip

$5.51/gal 25.4 MPG avg 349 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.79 $227.23 $454.46
premium $5.98 $234.73 $469.45
diesel $5.61 $220.13 $440.25

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$216

Hotel (3n)

$240–$420

Meals

$100–$200

Total

$556–$836

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 348.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $105 in charging · 3 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 299.1 3 $104.68 $47.86
Efficient EV 249.3 2 $87.24 $39.88
EV Truck/SUV 398.8 4 $139.58 $63.81

Gas CO2

349 kg

EV CO2

117 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Wasilla, AK

Late night in Wasilla on Friday

Local time

12:28 AM

AKDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Metlakatla, AK

Late night in Metlakatla on Friday

Local time

12:28 AM

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

50h 6m 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 Wasilla, AK to Metlakatla, AK covers 997 miles and takes about 50h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East Parks Highway, Glenn Highway, East 5th Avenue. 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 4-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 249 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 498.5 miles from Wasilla, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $216.08 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 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Navigation is easy, but the length (50h 6m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Wasilla, AK to Metlakatla, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Wasilla, AK to Metlakatla, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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