Augusta, GA to Monticello, GA is 114.7 miles and takes about 2h 14m via Carl Sanders Highway and Monticello Highway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia, connecting two points in the Southeast region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on surface roads, making it a good option for a relaxed day trip or a quick connection between cities. You'll find this route easy to navigate for its entire duration.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.3 miles from Augusta, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Carl Sanders Highway
85.2 mi
1h 31m
Monticello Highway
21.9 mi
30m
Washington Road
2.5 mi
4m
Calhoun Expressway
1.7 mi
1m
Purple Heart Highway
0.8 mi
<1m
Walton Way
0.7 mi
1m
Madison Street
0.4 mi
<1m
15th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Carl Sanders Highway
— 85.2 mi, about 1h 31m
Traffic on I-20
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,812 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,441
Quietest
2 AM
~187 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.7×
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 Augusta, GA and Monticello, GA.
1
Start on Walton Way
0.7 mi·1 min·Walton Way
2
Turn straight
235 ft·8 sec
3
Turn right onto 15th Street
0.2 mi·18 sec·15th Street
4
Turn slight left
0.3 mi·40 sec
5
Merge onto GA 28
1.7 mi·1 min·Calhoun Expressway
6
Continue on GA 28
2.5 mi·4 min·Washington Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
8
Merge onto I 20
85 mi·1 hr 31 min·Carl Sanders Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 20
0.8 mi·53 sec·Purple Heart Highway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 113Toward GA 83: Madison, MonticelloUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto GA 83
22 mi·30 min·Monticello Highway
12
Continue on GA 83
0.2 mi·16 sec·Madison Road
13
Continue on GA 83
0.4 mi·50 sec·Madison Street
14
Continue on GA 83
0.1 mi·22 sec·North Warren Street
15
Arrive at destination
GA 83
Trip Plan
With a drive time of just over two hours, this route offers a lot of flexibility for when you depart. Leaving Augusta in the morning or early afternoon should give you ample time to reach Monticello comfortably. Since there are no specific stops noted, you can easily make this a point-to-point drive, or pull over as needed if you see a spot that catches your eye. The estimated fuel cost of $18 suggests you won't need to worry excessively about refueling, but it's always wise to start with a full tank from Augusta to ensure you have plenty for the entire 114.7 miles.
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 57.3 miles from Augusta, GA, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.2 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.3 miles or 1h 4m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monticello, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Augusta, 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 Augusta, GA
This is one driving day of about 114.7 miles and 2h 14m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Augusta, GA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Carl Sanders Highway for about 85.2 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 92.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|15th Street
Turn right onto 15th Street
Navigation decision point
3
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in|GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway
Merge onto GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
5.8 mi into trip|~9m in|I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway
Merge onto I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
91.8 mi into trip|~1h 41m in
Take the exit toward GA 83: Madison, Monticello
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 113
Toward GA 83: Madison, Monticello
4
92.1 mi into trip|~1h 42m in|GA 83 / Monticello Highway
Turn left onto GA 83 / Monticello Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.24 one way
$36.49 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$19.89
$39.78
premium
$4.78
$21.58
$43.16
diesel
$5.35
$24.16
$48.32
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.4
0
$12.04
$5.51
Efficient EV
28.7
0
$10.04
$4.59
EV Truck/SUV
45.9
0
$16.06
$7.34
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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
Augusta, GA
Evening
in Augusta on Wednesday
Local time
5:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
E 0 to 3 mph68% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Monticello, GA
Evening
in Monticello on Wednesday
Local time
5:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
0 mph23% chanceLive forecast
86°F
Union Point, GA
57 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
2h 14m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on surface roads, with 100% of the route covered by them. You'll experience an 85.2-mile stretch on Carl Sanders Highway, which is the longest continuous section. Expect a consistent, non-highway driving feel for the majority of this trip. Given the profile, you'll likely notice a steady pace without the frequent on-and-off ramps or high speeds typical of interstate travel.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.2 mi on Carl Sanders Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near 15th Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Augusta, GA to Monticello, GA is easy. At 2h 14m with 1% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (15th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 5.8 miles (I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
679 ft140 ft
Total Climb
749 ft
Total Descent
210 ft
Highest Point
679 ft
~114.7 mi in
Elevation Range
539 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Augusta is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland. Due to its location inland on the Savannah River, Augusta was a city of major strategic importance by the end of the Civil War. It was spared most of the destruction of many other southern cities, so there are many old buildings and landmarks. Augusta is also home to the Augusta National Golf Club, one of the world's most prestigious and exclusive golf clubs, which plays host to the Masters golf tournament.
Top landmarks
•Augusta National Golf Club — golf course in Georgia, United States
•Augusta Canal — canal in Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
•Morris Museum of Art — museum in Augusta, Georgia, USA
The longest stretch is about 85.2 miles on Carl Sanders Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 12 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.
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 0.8 miles (15th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 5.8 miles (I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Monticello, GA before heading back.
