Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 10m
Distance
203.6 mi
328 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Portland, ME
Brett Sayles
Millinocket, ME
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City of Portland, ME to Millinocket, ME is 203.6 miles and takes about 4h 10m via Maine Turnpike and I 295, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the state of Maine, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that's ideal for a single-day excursion. The route is designed for efficiency, getting you to your destination without significant detours or complexities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
101.8 miles from City of Portland, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 14m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 140.9 mi | 2h 29m |
| I 295 | 46.3 mi | 52m |
| Main Street | 4 mi | 6m |
| Route 157 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Portland - Peaks Island | 2.5 mi | 20m |
| Medway Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Central Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Seashore Avenue | 0.8 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 64 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,113 veh/hr typical · worst 1,508
Quietest
1 AM
~41 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
27.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between City of Portland, ME and Millinocket, ME.
Start on Seashore Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Continue on Whitehead Street
Continue on Oakland Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Continue on Portland - Peaks Island
Continue
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
Continue on Maine State Pier
Continue on US 1A
Take the ramp onto US 1A
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto ME 157
Continue on ME 11; ME 157
Continue on ME 11; ME 157
Continue on ME 11; ME 157
Continue on ME 11; ME 157
Continue on ME 11; ME 157
Arrive at destination
Given the 4h 10m duration, this route is easily manageable in one day, so leaving anytime in the morning should work well. You'll have about 140.9 miles on the Maine Turnpike before reaching other road types, so plan your first substantial break around that point if needed. With a fuel cost estimated at $33, it's a budget-friendly trip. Keep an eye out for the transition off the main highways as you approach Millinocket; it's a good indicator that you're nearing your destination.
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.
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 45 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.8 miles or 2h 14m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Millinocket, ME than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving City of Portland, ME 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 City of Portland, ME
This is one driving day of about 203.6 miles and 4h 10m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
102 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.
A short stop after about 45 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 101.8 miles from City of Portland, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Maine Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 140.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 192.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward ME 157: Medway, Millinocket
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$33.91 one way
$67.83 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $37.63 | $75.27 |
| premium | $5.07 | $40.61 | $81.22 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $44.88 | $89.76 |
Estimated Tolls: $8.46
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Tolls
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 61.1 | 0 | $21.38 | $9.77 |
| Efficient EV | 50.9 | 0 | $17.82 | $8.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 81.4 | 1 | $28.50 | $13.03 |
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in City of Portland on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Areas Of Fog
Destination
Late night in Millinocket on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Mostly Cloudy
78°F
Benton, ME
102 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standard...
National Monument
Spread across a wild landscape offering spectacular views of Katahdin, Katahdin Woods and Waters invites discovery of its rivers, streams, woods, flora, fauna, geology, and the night skies that have a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Nearly all of this 203.6-mile trip takes place on highways, with a 94% highway share. You'll spend the longest stretch, 140.9 miles, on the Maine Turnpike. Expect a continuous highway experience for most of the drive, with the transition to surface roads occurring closer to Millinocket. The density of exits along the Maine Turnpike suggests a consistent pace of travel.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and I 295. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Seashore Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 10m 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: at 0.6 miles (Seashore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Welch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 5 miles (I 295; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
496 ft
Total Descent
153 ft
Highest Point
364 ft
~203.6 mi in
Elevation Range
343 ft
Millinocket is a town of 4,500 in Highlands (Maine).
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 10m. Total distance: 203.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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