City of Scranton, PA to McCalmont, PA is 284.3 miles and takes about 5h 32m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $51 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a single-day drive that primarily utilizes surface roads, making it a straightforward transit. Plan for a steady pace as you cover the distance, with most of your time spent on non-highway routes.
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
142.2 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
216.8 mi
3h 53m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
PA 38
26.1 mi
42m
Pittsburgh Road
3.3 mi
5m
East Jefferson Street
1.7 mi
3m
McCalmont Road
0.9 mi
1m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
South Main Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 216.8 mi, about 3h 53m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,102 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,486
Quietest
2 AM
~187 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Scranton, PA and McCalmont, PA.
1
Start on Cedar Avenue
0.1 mi·11 sec·Cedar Avenue
2
Continue on Cedar Avenue
400 ft·12 sec·Cedar Avenue
3
Turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi·1 min·River Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
5
Merge onto I 81
33 mi·39 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 151BToward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
7
Merge onto I 80
217 mi·3 hr 53 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Toward PA 38: Emlenton
9
Turn left onto PA 38
26 mi·42 min·PA 38
10
Turn right onto PA 68
1.7 mi·3 min·East Jefferson Street
11
Turn left onto PA 8; PA 356
0.4 mi·1 min·South Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Continue on PA 8
0.2 mi·33 sec·General Richard Butler Bridge
13
Continue on PA 8
0.5 mi·1 min·Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on PA 8
2.8 mi·4 min·Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn right onto McCalmont Road
0.9 mi·1 min·McCalmont Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
McCalmont Road
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 32m duration, starting your drive from Scranton in the morning is advisable to ensure you arrive in McCalmont with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can maintain a consistent pace, but be aware that the longest stretch without a highway is significant. The estimated fuel cost is $51, so ensure your tank is full before departing and consider topping up if you see a favorable price along the PA 38. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility in departure time, but the mostly surface road profile means travel time can be affected by local traffic.
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 142.2 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 216.8 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 63 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142.2 miles or 2h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McCalmont, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Scranton, PA 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 Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 284.3 miles and 5h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from City of Scranton, PA.
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 Keystone Shortway for about 216.8 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 283.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|River Street
Turn left onto River Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
34 mi into trip|~42m in
Take the exit toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 151B
Toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
6
279.5 mi into trip|~5h 23m in|PA 8; PA 356 / South Main Street
Turn left onto PA 8; PA 356 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
283.4 mi into trip|~5h 31m in|McCalmont Road
Turn right onto McCalmont Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.33 one way
$90.66 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg100 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$50.17
$100.33
premium
$4.81
$53.82
$107.63
diesel
$4.80
$53.68
$107.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 99.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.3
1
$29.85
$13.65
Efficient EV
71.1
0
$24.88
$11.37
EV Truck/SUV
113.7
1
$39.80
$18.20
Gas CO2
99 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Monday
Local time
6:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 3:59PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
McCalmont, PA
Morning
in McCalmont on Monday
Local time
6:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Smoke
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 3:59PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
83°F
Clearfield, PA
142 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 32m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a highway share of 9%, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the vast majority of the 284.3 miles. The longest stretch on a highway, the Keystone Shortway, covers 216.8 miles. Expect a more rural cruising experience, punctuated by sections of American Legion Memorial Highway and PA 38. The profile is mostly surface roads, so be prepared for varying speed limits and more frequent intersections as you approach your destination.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 216.8 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near River Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 32m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,214 ft521 ft
Total Climb
2,635 ft
Total Descent
2,383 ft
Highest Point
2,214 ft
~182.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,693 ft
Notable High Points
1,464 ft at ~101.6 miles+534 ft prominence
2,214 ft at ~182.8 miles+539 ft prominence
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 32m. Total distance: 284.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 216.8 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 33 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 33 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at McCalmont, PA before the return drive.
