Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
9.5 mi
15 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alpena, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Paxton, MI
Nano Erdozain
Alpena to Paxton is 9.5 miles and takes about 14m via West Washington Avenue, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Michigan's Midwest region, offering a quick connection between two points. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a day trip or as a brief segment within a larger Midwestern adventure. Plan for a straightforward drive with minimal time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Washington Avenue | 8.7 mi | 11m |
| King Settlement Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South 3rd Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Chisholm Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Alpena, MI and Paxton, MI.
Start on US 23
Turn left onto M 32
At end of road, turn right onto M 32
Turn left onto King Settlement Road
Arrive at destination
3 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto M 32 / South 3rd Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto M 32 / West Washington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto King Settlement Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.58 one way
$3.17 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $1.73 | $3.46 |
| premium | $5.25 | $1.96 | $3.93 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $2.31 | $4.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.00 | $0.46 |
| Efficient EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.83 | $0.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.33 | $0.61 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Alpena on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Paxton on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Clear
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
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.
This drive is entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway travel. You'll spend virtually all of your 14 minutes behind the wheel cruising through local streets and roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles along West Washington Avenue. Expect a consistent, non-highway driving experience throughout.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near M 32 / South 3rd Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 3 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (M 32 / South 3rd Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (M 32 / West Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (King Settlement Road): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
130 ft
Total Descent
30 ft
Highest Point
690 ft
~6.8 mi in
Elevation Range
102 ft
Founded 1840
Alpena is a city in Northeastern Michigan.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 9.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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