Origin
Bennington, VT
Morning in Bennington on Tuesday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bennington, VT to Dorset, VT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
31.4 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bennington, VT
Andrea Davis
Dorset, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion through the heart of Vermont, this 31.4-mile trip from Bennington to Dorset is an ideal choice. The journey typically takes about 48 minutes, making it a perfect one-day outing that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via U.S. Route 7 and Vermont Route 30, with a final transition onto Bonnet Street. With fuel costs estimated at just $5, this is a budget-friendly way to move through the Northeast. Since the drive is short, you have plenty of flexibility to explore at your own pace without feeling rushed by the clock. It serves as a straightforward connection between these two Vermont towns, keeping you focused on the road ahead.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Route 7 | 21.2 mi | 28m |
| Vermont Route 30 | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Bonnet Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Depot Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| U.S. Route 7 North | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Bennington Bypass | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
U.S. Route 7
— 21.2 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bennington, VT and Dorset, VT.
1
Start on VT 9
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto Depot Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Depot Street
3
Merge onto US 7
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Street
4
Continue on US 7
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
U.S. Route 7 North
5
Merge onto US 7; VT 279
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Bennington Bypass
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7
21 mi
·
28 min
·
U.S. Route 7
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward VT 11, VT 30
8
Turn left onto VT 11; VT 30
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Depot Street
9
Enter roundabout onto VT 7A; VT 30
40 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on VT 7A; VT 30
186 ft
·
4 sec
·
Main Street
11
Enter roundabout onto VT 30
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
Bonnet Street
12
Continue on VT 30
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Bonnet Street
13
Continue on VT 30
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Vermont Route 30
14
Arrive at destination
VT 30
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.7 miles from Bennington, VT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 25.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 7 / North Street
Merge onto US 7 / North Street
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 7 / U.S. Route 7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7 / U.S. Route 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
23.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward VT 11, VT 30
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward VT 11, VT 30
5
25.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
VT 7A; VT 30 / Main Street
Enter roundabout onto VT 7A; VT 30 / Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
25.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
VT 30 / Bonnet Street
Enter roundabout onto VT 30 / Bonnet Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.05 one way
$10.11 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.56 | $11.12 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.01 | $12.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.93 | $13.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Dorset, VT
Morning in Dorset on Tuesday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
64°F
Arlington, VT
16 mi in
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
21 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
48m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a drive that is heavily highway-focused, with about 81% of your travel time spent on faster thoroughfares. The core of your trip features a 21.2-mile stretch along U.S. Route 7, which provides the most consistent pace for your journey. As you transition from the main highway onto Vermont Route 30 and eventually Bonnet Street, the road environment shifts from a high-speed transit mode to more localized driving conditions. This configuration makes for a predictable experience behind the wheel, minimizing the complexity of your navigation. You won't find any mandatory stops on this route, allowing you to maintain steady momentum from start to finish.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on U.S. Route 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Route 7 and Vermont Route 30. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near US 7 / North Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 31.4 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (US 7 / North Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.1 miles (US 7 / U.S. Route 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,481 ft
649 ft
Total Climb
1,225 ft
Total Descent
944 ft
Highest Point
1,481 ft
~9 mi in
Elevation Range
832 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Bennington, VT
Full guide →Bennington is a town in Southwestern Vermont. Boasting five covered bridges it is a classic Vermont country town, and is also home to Bennington College. This article also encompasses the neighboring town of North Bennington.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 31.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.2 miles on U.S. Route 7. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through VT can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (US 7 / North Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.1 miles (US 7 / U.S. Route 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dorset, VT 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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