Albany, GA to Jackson, GA is 144.6 miles and takes about 2h 48m via I 75, with a fuel budget near $24 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia, connecting two points in the Southeast region. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving, making it a straightforward option for a single day. It’s a practical choice if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two locations without a lengthy commitment.
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
72.3 miles from Albany, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
80.1 mi
1h 25m
Cordele Road
35.2 mi
43m
Larry Justice Highway
15.9 mi
17m
Barnesville-Jackson Road
7.3 mi
10m
Clark Avenue
2.2 mi
3m
West Broad Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
South Mulberry Street
1 mi
2m
Pine Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 80.1 mi, about 1h 25m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~2,541 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,500
Quietest
2 AM
~389 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albany, GA and Jackson, GA.
1
Start on Pine Avenue
0.4 mi·44 sec·Pine Avenue
Use the straight lane.
2
Enter roundabout onto North Front Street
75 ft·5 sec·North Front Street
3
Continue on North Front Street
510 ft·14 sec·North Front Street
4
Turn left onto West Broad Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·West Broad Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto Blaylock Street
0.2 mi·29 sec·Blaylock Street
6
Turn right onto Clark Avenue
2.2 mi·3 min·Clark Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto GA 300
35 mi·43 min·Cordele Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward I-75 North: MaconUse the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 75
57 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 475
16 mi·17 min·Larry Justice Highway
Exit 156Toward I 475 North: AtlantaUse the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 75
23 mi·24 min·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 201Toward GA 36: Jackson, BarnesvilleUse the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
138 ft·3 sec
Toward Georgia Diagnostic PrisonUse the straight / left / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto GA 36
7.3 mi·10 min·Barnesville-Jackson Road
15
Continue on GA 36
1.0 mi·2 min·South Mulberry Street
16
Turn right onto US 23; GA 16; GA 36; GA 42
146 ft·9 sec·East 3rd Street
17
Turn left
61 ft·4 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 48m drive time, this is easily a same-day trip. You can leave Albany, GA anytime in the morning and still arrive in Jackson, GA with plenty of daylight to spare. There's one recommended stop, which is a good opportunity to stretch your legs or refuel. The fuel cost is estimated at $24, so factor that into your budget. Watch for the transition from I 75 to Cordele Road and Larry Justice Highway, as this marks the shift from faster highway driving to more local surface roads, which may have lower speed limits and more intersections.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.3 miles from Albany, GA, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.1 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 32 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.3 miles or 1h 27m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jackson, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Albany, GA 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 Albany, GA
This is one driving day of about 144.6 miles and 2h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Albany, GA.
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 75 for about 80.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 136.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|Clark Avenue
Turn right onto Clark Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
39.7 mi into trip|~51m in
Turn left toward I-75 North: Macon
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I-75 North: Macon
8
97.1 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|I 475 / Larry Justice Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 475 / Larry Justice Highway toward I 475 North: Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 156
Toward I 475 North: Atlanta
8
135.9 mi into trip|~2h 35m in
Take the exit toward GA 36: Jackson, Barnesville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 201
Toward GA 36: Jackson, Barnesville
8
136.2 mi into trip|~2h 36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Georgia Diagnostic Prison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / slight right lanes.
Toward Georgia Diagnostic Prison
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.00 one way
$46.00 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$25.08
$50.15
premium
$4.78
$27.21
$54.41
diesel
$5.35
$30.46
$60.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.4
0
$15.18
$6.94
Efficient EV
36.2
0
$12.65
$5.78
EV Truck/SUV
57.8
0
$20.24
$9.25
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Albany, GA
Evening
in Albany on Wednesday
Local time
5:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
0 mph46% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Jackson, GA
Evening
in Jackson on Wednesday
Local time
5:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
0 mph18% chanceLive 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
5 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
2h 48m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. This park is a prehistoric American Indian site, where many different American Indian cultures occupied this land for thousands of years. American...
8 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 99.7
Caution: River Trail periodically closed under I-16
Park Closure: BOARDWALK CLOSED along the River Trail
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 55% of the drive on highways, primarily on I 75. The longest continuous stretch on the interstate is 80.1 miles. Expect to transition from highway speeds to surface roads, likely around Cordele Road and Larry Justice Highway, which will involve more local traffic. The profile is mixed highway and surface, so be prepared for varying speeds and exit densities as you move between these road types.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.1 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near Clark Avenue.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 144.6 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: at 2.2 miles (Clark Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 97.1 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
717 ft202 ft
Total Climb
716 ft
Total Descent
201 ft
Highest Point
717 ft
~144.6 mi in
Elevation Range
515 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Albany, GA and Jackson, GA, road signs point toward Barnesville and Georgia Diagnostic Prison.
Albany is a city of 72,000 people (2019) in Dougherty County in Georgia's Plantation Midlands region. It is part of the Black Belt, the extensive area in the Deep South of cotton plantations. During 1961–1962, African Americans in Albany played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement, founding the Albany Movement, a desegregation and voters' rights coalition formed in 1961. Ray Charles, the singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer, was born here, and is remembered in a park with a statue.
Top landmarks
•Albany Municipal Auditorium — concert hall and multi-use auditorium in Albany, Georgia
•Old St. Teresa Catholic Church — church building in Albany, United States of America
•United States Post Office and Courthouse — historic building in Albany, Georgia
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 48m. Total distance: 144.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 80.1 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 23 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Jackson, GA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 23 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (Clark Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 97.1 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jackson, GA before heading back.
