The drive from Auburn, AL to Lake Purdy, AL covers 99.5 miles and takes about 2h 7m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 280, US 231, North College Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 58.6 miles on US 280.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.58 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.
Midpoint
49.7 miles from Auburn, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 280
58.6 mi
1h 9m
US 231
34.4 mi
44m
North College Street
4.8 mi
7m
Brook Highland Parkway
0.6 mi
1m
Cahaba Valley Road
0.5 mi
1m
Brook Highland Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
Somerset Lane
0.2 mi
<1m
Hampton Place
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 280
— 58.6 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, AL and Lake Purdy, AL.
1
Start on this road
291 ft·24 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto North College Street
4.0 mi·6 min·North College Street
3
Enter roundabout onto AL 147
79 ft·1 sec·North College Street
4
Continue on AL 147
0.7 mi·1 min·North College Street
5
Take the ramp onto AL 147
165 ft·3 sec·North College Street
6
Continue on US 280; AL 147
14 mi·15 min·US 280; AL 147
7
Continue on US 280; AL 50
6.4 mi·7 min·US 280; AL 50
8
Continue on US 280; AL 49
13 mi·15 min·US 280; AL 49
9
Continue on US 280; AL 22
26 mi·30 min·US 280; AL 22
10
Continue on US 231; US 280
34 mi·44 min·US 231; US 280
11
Turn right onto AL 119
0.5 mi·1 min·Cahaba Valley Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn left onto Brook Highland Parkway
0.6 mi·1 min·Brook Highland Parkway
13
Turn right onto Brook Highland Drive
0.2 mi·45 sec·Brook Highland Drive
14
Turn left onto Hampton Place
0.1 mi·36 sec·Hampton Place
15
Turn left onto Somerset Lane
0.2 mi·45 sec·Somerset Lane
16
Turn left onto Ashford Lane
214 ft·9 sec·Ashford Lane
17
Arrive at destination
Ashford Lane
Trip Plan
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.7 miles from Auburn, AL, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58.6 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 22 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.7 miles or 1h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Purdy, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Auburn, AL 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 Auburn, AL
This is one driving day of about 99.5 miles and 2h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Auburn, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 280 for about 58.6 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 99.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North College Street
At end of road, turn right onto North College Street
Navigation decision point
4
4 mi into trip|~6m in|AL 147 / North College Street
Enter roundabout onto AL 147 / North College Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
97.8 mi into trip|~2h 2m in|AL 119 / Cahaba Valley Road
Turn right onto AL 119 / Cahaba Valley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
99.1 mi into trip|~2h 5m in|Hampton Place
Turn left onto Hampton Place
Navigation decision point
5
99.4 mi into trip|~2h 7m in|Ashford Lane
Turn left onto Ashford Lane
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.58 one way
$29.15 round trip
$3.72/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.13
$16.18
$32.36
premium
$4.49
$17.57
$35.15
diesel
$5.60
$21.93
$43.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.9
0
$10.45
$4.78
Efficient EV
24.9
0
$8.71
$3.98
EV Truck/SUV
39.8
0
$13.93
$6.37
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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 Sep 2, 2026
Origin
Auburn, AL
Night
in Auburn on Wednesday
Local time
9:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 0 to 5 mph16% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 10:36PM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:27AM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL
Destination
Lake Purdy, AL
Night
in Lake Purdy on Wednesday
Local time
9:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
96°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 0 to 5 mph16% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 10:36PM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:27AM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 7m 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.
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...
10 mi from route
~24 min detour
Free
near mile 99.5
Park Closure: A.G Gaston Motel Closed for Construction
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
99.5 mi in 2h 7m, mostly highway — 58.6 mi of that is on US 280.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.6 mi on US 280.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 280 and US 231. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North College Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Auburn, AL to Lake Purdy, AL is easy. At 2h 7m with 94% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North College Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (AL 147 / North College Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 97.8 miles (AL 119 / Cahaba Valley Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Auburn is in the River Heritage region of Alabama, and home to Auburn University in downtown Auburn. During the university's home football games, the town fills up with thousands of alumni and college football fans for a weekend of tailgating.
Top landmarks
•Auburn University Historic District — historic district in Auburn, Alabama
The longest stretch is about 58.6 miles on US 280. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North College Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (AL 147 / North College Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 97.8 miles (AL 119 / Cahaba Valley Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. 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 Lake Purdy, AL before heading back.
