The drive from Wilmington, VT to Winooski, VT covers 170.3 miles and takes about 3h 31m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 89, I 91, Vermont Route 9 East for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 89.7 miles on I 89.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.42 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
85.2 miles from Wilmington, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 31m. Total distance: 170.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 3h 31m highway drive covering 170.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 89 and I 91. The longest continuous stretch is about 89.7 miles on I 89.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 89 is the longest continuous segment at about 89.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and I 91. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 18.3 miles in.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Wilmington, VT to Winooski, VT is easy. At 3h 31m with 95% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 18.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles (I 91): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 79.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
18.3 mi into trip|~32m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
3
18.9 mi into trip|~33m in|I 91
Merge onto I 91
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
79.5 mi into trip|~1h 44m in
Take the exit toward I 89 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 89 North
7
169.5 mi into trip|~3h 28m in
Take the exit toward VT 15: Winooski, Essex Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward VT 15: Winooski, Essex Junction
5
169.6 mi into trip|~3h 29m in|VT 15 / East Allen Street
At end of road, turn left onto VT 15 / East Allen Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
89.7 mi
1h 44m
I 91
60.6 mi
1h 10m
Vermont Route 9 East
11.7 mi
19m
Marlboro Road
4.2 mi
7m
Western Avenue
1.7 mi
4m
East Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
East Allen Street
0.7 mi
2m
South Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 89.7 mi, about 1h 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, VT and Winooski, VT.
1
Start on South Main Street
96 ft·7 sec·South Main Street
2
Continue on VT 9; VT 100
0.7 mi·1 min·East Main Street
3
Continue on VT 9; VT 100
12 mi·19 min·Vermont Route 9 East
4
Continue on VT 9
4.2 mi·7 min·Marlboro Road
5
Continue on VT 9
1.7 mi·4 min·Western Avenue
6
Turn left
0.5 mi·1 min
7
Merge onto I 91
61 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 91
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward I 89 North
9
Merge onto I 89
90 mi·1 hr 44 min·I 89
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward VT 15: Winooski, Essex JunctionUse the left lane.
11
At end of road, turn left onto VT 15
0.7 mi·2 min·East Allen Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn straight onto East Allen Street
17 ft·0 sec·East Allen Street
13
Arrive at destination
East Allen Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 85.2 miles from Wilmington, VT, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.7 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 37 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.2 miles or 1h 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 2h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Winooski, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wilmington, VT 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Wilmington, VT
This is one driving day of about 170.3 miles and 3h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Wilmington, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 89 for about 89.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 85.2 mi from Wilmington, VT
· 1h 50m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 88.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.42 one way
$54.83 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$30.16
$60.33
premium
$4.86
$32.61
$65.22
diesel
$5.61
$37.60
$75.20
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.1
0
$17.88
$8.17
Efficient EV
42.6
0
$14.90
$6.81
EV Truck/SUV
68.1
0
$23.84
$10.90
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Wilmington, VT
Night
in Wilmington on Friday
Local time
9:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Winooski, VT
Night
in Winooski on Friday
Local time
9:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Hartford, VT
85 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.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 31m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Wilmington, VT to Winooski, VT covers 170.3 miles and takes about 3h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 89, I 91, Vermont Route 9 East. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 85.2 miles from Wilmington, VT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.42 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Wilmington, VT to Winooski, VT is easy. At 3h 31m with 95% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 18.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles (I 91): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 79.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Wilmington, VT to Winooski, VT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller 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.
