This 174-mile drive from Brent to Dothan, Alabama, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in a single day. Expect to spend about 3 hours and 53 minutes on the road, primarily navigating US 231 and US 82, with some time on Troy Highway. With a fuel cost estimated at $27, this is an economical trip. The highway-focused profile means you'll cover ground efficiently, making it ideal for a day trip without the need for an overnight stop. This route stays within the Southeast region, offering a consistent feel as you travel through Alabama.
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
87.1 miles from Brent, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 231
62 mi
1h 22m
US 82
58.8 mi
1h 19m
Troy Highway
34.7 mi
41m
West Boulevard
10.1 mi
15m
Birmingham Highway
3.7 mi
5m
South Memorial Drive
2 mi
2m
Birmingham Road
0.9 mi
1m
Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 231
— 62 mi, about 1h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brent, AL and Dothan, AL.
1
Start on this road
169 ft·14 sec·this road
2
Turn right
54 ft·9 sec
3
Turn left onto AL 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
4
Turn straight onto AL 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Walnut Street
5
Turn left
474 ft·11 sec
6
Turn slight left onto Birmingham Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Birmingham Road
7
Take the ramp
155 ft·4 sec
8
Merge onto US 82; AL 219
59 mi·1 hr 19 min·US 82; AL 219
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto US 31
2.0 mi·2 min·South Memorial Drive
10
Continue on US 31
3.7 mi·5 min·Birmingham Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto US 31
10 mi·15 min·West Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto US 82; US 231
35 mi·41 min·Troy Highway
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 231
7.7 mi·9 min·US 231
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on US 231; AL 10
0.1 mi·9 sec·US 231; AL 10
15
Continue on US 231; AL 10
2.0 mi·3 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on US 231; AL 10
7.6 mi·10 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on US 231; AL 10
38 mi·47 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on US 231
6.2 mi·11 min·US 231
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn left onto West Powell Street
0.1 mi·23 sec·West Powell Street
20
Turn right onto North Saint Andrews Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Saint Andrews Street
21
Turn left onto US 84 Business; AL 52
111 ft·3 sec·East Main Street
22
Arrive at destination
US 84 Business; AL 52
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 3-hour 53-minute duration, you can depart Brent at your leisure, perhaps after a relaxed morning. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $27, flexibility is key here. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 62-mile stretch on US 231, to ensure you have enough to reach your next service opportunity. This route is well-suited for a single-day excursion, so focus on enjoying the steady progress rather than rushing.
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 87.1 miles from Brent, AL, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62 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 38 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.1 miles or 1h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dothan, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brent, 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 Brent, AL
This is one driving day of about 174.2 miles and 3h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Brent, 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 US 231 for about 62 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 76.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|AL 25 / Main Street
Turn left onto AL 25 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in|US 82; AL 219
Merge onto US 82; AL 219
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
66.8 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|US 31 / West Boulevard
Turn right onto US 31 / West Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
76.9 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Turn right onto US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.31 one way
$52.62 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg61 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$28.88
$57.76
premium
$4.56
$31.27
$62.53
diesel
$5.61
$38.46
$76.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
52.3
0
$18.29
$8.36
Efficient EV
43.6
0
$15.24
$6.97
EV Truck/SUV
69.7
0
$24.39
$11.15
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 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
Brent, AL
Morning
in Brent on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dothan, AL
Morning
in Dothan on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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 53m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 69% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll experience stretches of steady travel, including a longest continuous segment of 62 miles on US 231. While the majority of the trip is on these main arteries, you'll also encounter sections on Troy Highway, offering a slight variation in the driving experience. Expect a good pace for most of the journey, allowing you to make steady progress towards your destination.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 62 mi on US 231.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 231 and US 82. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 53m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (AL 25 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 82; AL 219): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Dothan is a city in southeastern Alabama, serving as the county seat of Houston County, and the chief city of the western Wiregrass region, an area encompassing portions of southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Its population in 2018 was about 68,000, making it the largest metropolitan area in southeastern Alabama.
The longest stretch is about 62 miles on US 231. 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (AL 25 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 82; AL 219): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Dothan, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
