Origin
Back Mountain, PA
Afternoon in Back Mountain on Sunday
Local time
1:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Back Mountain, PA to City of Scranton, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
27.9 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Back Mountain, PA
Wikimedia Commons
City of Scranton, PA
Michael Taccetta
Trip Overview
This short 27.9-mile drive from Back Mountain, PA to the City of Scranton, PA is easily manageable in just 41 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with about 70% of the journey on major roads like I-81 and Memorial Highway. With an estimated fuel cost of only $5, this is a budget-friendly excursion. You'll be staying within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania for the entire trip. Given the short distance and duration, no overnight stops are necessary, offering plenty of flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 13.3 mi | 15m |
| Memorial Highway | 6.3 mi | 13m |
| PA 309 | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| River Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| PA 118 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| PA 115 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cedar Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 13.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Back Mountain, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 118
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
PA 118
2
Turn right onto PA 415
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Memorial Highway
3
Enter roundabout onto PA 415
120 ft
·
2 sec
·
Memorial Highway
4
Continue on PA 415
4.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Memorial Highway
5
Continue on PA 309
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
PA 309
6
Continue on PA 115
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
PA 115
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto I 81
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 81
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 307
10
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 27.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 415 / Memorial Highway
Turn right onto PA 415 / Memorial Highway
Navigation decision point
4
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
PA 415 / Memorial Highway
Enter roundabout onto PA 415 / Memorial Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
12.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
26.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward PA 307
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 307
7
27.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.63 one way
$9.25 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.07 | $10.13 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.41 | $10.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.16 | $12.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Afternoon in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
1:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph
8% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:45AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:42AM EDT by NWS State College PA
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
34 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
41m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a largely highway-focused drive for this trip, with 70% of the mileage dedicated to major roadways including I-81 and PA 309. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.3 miles along I-81. This means much of the journey will involve consistent speeds and efficient travel. While not a scenic tour, the highway profile ensures a straightforward and direct path to your destination.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near PA 415 / Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 41m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (PA 415 / Memorial Highway): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (PA 415 / Memorial Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,277 ft
565 ft
Total Climb
615 ft
Total Descent
1,153 ft
Highest Point
1,277 ft
Elevation Range
712 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 27.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (PA 415 / Memorial Highway): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (PA 415 / Memorial Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Scranton, PA before heading back.
How this page is built
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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