Cambridge, VT to Hartford, VT is 97 miles and takes about 2 hours 6 minutes via I 89 and Vermont Route 15, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region, exclusively within Vermont, making it a straightforward journey. Given its highway-focused profile and short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on interstate roads, so expect efficient travel with minimal delays. Plan for this to be a quick connection between two points in Vermont.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.5 miles from Cambridge, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
74.3 mi
1h 25m
Vermont Route 15
11.3 mi
18m
Browns Trace
5.3 mi
11m
Woodstock Road
2.6 mi
3m
Governor Peck Road
1.4 mi
2m
Governor Peck Highway
0.8 mi
1m
V.A. Cutoff Road
0.4 mi
<1m
West Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 74.3 mi, about 1h 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, VT and Hartford, VT.
1
Start on VT 15
11 mi·18 min·Vermont Route 15
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto Browns Trace
5.3 mi·11 min·Browns Trace
3
Turn right onto Governor Peck Road
1.4 mi·2 min·Governor Peck Road
4
Continue on Governor Peck Highway
0.8 mi·1 min·Governor Peck Highway
5
At end of road, turn left onto VT 117
240 ft·9 sec·River Road
6
Turn left onto US 2
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Main Street
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·15 sec
8
Merge onto I 89
74 mi·1 hr 25 min·I 89
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward US 4: Woodstock, Quechee
10
At end of road, turn right onto US 4
2.6 mi·3 min·Woodstock Road
11
Turn right onto TH 132
144 ft·11 sec·TH 132
12
Turn left onto V.A. Cutoff Road
0.4 mi·54 sec·V.A. Cutoff Road
13
Arrive at destination
Christian Street
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over 2 hours, this 97-mile drive offers great flexibility. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive by midday, or leave in the afternoon for an early evening arrival. There are no recommended stops, suggesting that you can push through if you wish, or pull over as needed. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 74.3 miles on I 89, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge before embarking, as services might be less frequent on this particular highway segment. Your estimated fuel cost is $16, which is quite manageable for this short distance.
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 48.5 miles from Cambridge, VT, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.3 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 21 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.5 miles or 1h 8m 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 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hartford, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cambridge, VT 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 Cambridge, VT
This is one driving day of about 97 miles and 2h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Cambridge, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 89 for about 74.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 11.3 and 93.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
11.3 mi into trip|~18m in|Browns Trace
Turn left onto Browns Trace
Navigation decision point
4
18.8 mi into trip|~33m in|VT 117 / River Road
At end of road, turn left onto VT 117 / River Road
Navigation decision point
4
18.9 mi into trip|~33m in|US 2 / West Main Street
Turn left onto US 2 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
19.1 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
93.6 mi into trip|~2h in
Take the exit toward US 4: Woodstock, Quechee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 4: Woodstock, Quechee
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.62 one way
$31.23 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$17.18
$34.36
premium
$4.86
$18.58
$37.15
diesel
$5.61
$21.42
$42.83
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.1
0
$10.18
$4.66
Efficient EV
24.3
0
$8.49
$3.88
EV Truck/SUV
38.8
0
$13.58
$6.21
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Cambridge, VT
Late night
in Cambridge on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hartford, VT
Late night
in Hartford on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Bolton, VT
49 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
18 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
2h 6m 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.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
Free
near mile 93.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 88% of the mileage on faster roads. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 89, including a continuous stretch of 74.3 miles, which means consistent speed and minimal interaction with local traffic. As you transition to Vermont Route 15, the character might shift slightly, but the overall feel remains geared towards efficient travel rather than slow, scenic exploration. Expect a predominantly smooth and direct experience behind the wheel for the majority of the 97 miles.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 74.3 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and Vermont Route 15. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 11.3 miles in near Browns Trace.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Cambridge, VT to Hartford, VT is easy. At 2h 6m with 88% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.3 miles (Browns Trace): Navigation decision point; at 18.8 miles (VT 117 / River Road): Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles (US 2 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 74.3 miles on I 89. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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.
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 11.3 miles (Browns Trace): Navigation decision point; at 18.8 miles (VT 117 / River Road): Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles (US 2 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hartford, VT before heading back.
