If you are looking to head south from Birmingham to Camden, prepare for a 128.4-mile journey that typically takes about 3 hours and 2 minutes to complete. Because this trip falls comfortably within a single day of travel, you won’t need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Budget approximately $20 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Alabama locations. You will navigate via 6th Avenue North, I-65 North, and I-20 West to reach your destination. Since both cities are located within the Southeast, you can expect a familiar regional atmosphere throughout the entire drive.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
64.2 miles from Birmingham, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Route 5
72.8 mi
1h 43m
I 20
27 mi
29m
State Route 28
18.3 mi
32m
Jefferson Davis Highway
4.3 mi
6m
US 11
3.5 mi
5m
6th Avenue North
1.2 mi
2m
I 65
0.3 mi
<1m
24th Street North
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
State Route 5
— 72.8 mi, about 1h 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Birmingham, AL and Camden, AL.
1
Start on 24th Street North
523 ft·19 sec·24th Street North
2
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
1.2 mi·2 min·6th Avenue North
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 65 North
4
Merge onto I 65
0.3 mi·30 sec·I 65
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 261CToward I 20 West, I 59 South: TuscaloosaUse the slight left / straight lanes.
6
Merge onto I 20; I 59
27 mi·29 min·I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 11; AL 5
0.3 mi·34 sec·US 11; AL 5
Exit 97Toward US 11 South, AL 5 South: West Blocton, CentrevilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto US 11; AL 5
3.2 mi·5 min·US 11; AL 5
9
Turn left onto AL 5
19 mi·26 min·State Route 5
Use the straight lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto AL 5
225 ft·7 sec·State Route 5
11
Continue on AL 5
50 mi·1 hr 10 min·State Route 5
12
Continue on AL 5
4.3 mi·6 min·Jefferson Davis Highway
13
Continue on AL 5
4.1 mi·6 min·State Route 5
14
Turn right
0.4 mi·1 min
15
Turn left onto AL 28
18 mi·32 min·State Route 28
16
Turn right onto Planters Street
246 ft·16 sec·Planters Street
17
Turn left onto Union Street
167 ft·7 sec·Union Street
18
Arrive at destination
Union Street
Trip Plan
Planning your departure is straightforward since this trip is easily manageable in one day. Aim to head out early to account for the winding nature of the local roads, which can take longer to navigate than standard interstates. Because this is a turn-heavy route, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and stay alert behind the wheel. Keep your navigation tools ready, as the lack of highway driving means you will be making frequent adjustments to your course. A smart tip for this specific journey is to double-check your route settings before leaving Birmingham to ensure you are comfortable with the local road sequence.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 64.2 miles from Birmingham, AL, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.8 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 28 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.2 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Camden, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Birmingham, 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 Birmingham, AL
This is one driving day of about 128.4 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Birmingham, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on State Route 5 for about 72.8 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 29 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|6th Avenue North
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
1.5 mi into trip|~2m in|I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 261C
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
5
2 mi into trip|~3m in|I 20; I 59
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
29 mi into trip|~33m in|US 11; AL 5
Take the exit onto US 11; AL 5 toward US 11 South, AL 5 South: West Blocton, Centreville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 97
Toward US 11 South, AL 5 South: West Blocton, C...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.39 one way
$38.78 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$21.29
$42.57
premium
$4.56
$23.05
$46.09
diesel
$5.61
$28.35
$56.70
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.5
0
$13.48
$6.16
Efficient EV
32.1
0
$11.24
$5.14
EV Truck/SUV
51.4
0
$17.98
$8.22
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Birmingham, AL
Late night
in Birmingham on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Camden, AL
Late night
in Camden on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Marion, AL
64 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 2m 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.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this route. While the path utilizes several major corridors, the journey transitions into a more technical driving experience as you navigate away from the city. With a highway share of 0%, you should prepare for a significant amount of time spent on local roads that require your full attention behind the wheel. The nature of this drive means you will be managing frequent turns rather than sustained, high-speed stretches. It is a practical route for those who prefer an active driving experience over long, straight highway miles.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.8 mi on State Route 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Route 5 and I 20. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 6th Avenue North.
Driving Effort5/10
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 128.4 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Birmingham, AL to Camden, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Centreville along the way.
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 2m. Total distance: 128.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 72.8 miles on State Route 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Camden, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
