Spanning 101.3 miles across Vermont, this straightforward drive from Colchester to Hartland typically takes about 2 hours and 4 minutes. You will primarily utilize I-89 and I-91, making it a highly efficient route that is perfectly suited for a single-day trip. With a estimated fuel cost of $16, the journey is budget-friendly and requires no overnight stops along the way. Because both your starting point and destination are nestled within the Northeast, you can expect a familiar, consistent feel throughout the entire transit. It is an excellent choice if you need to move between these two Vermont points quickly and reliably.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.6 miles from Colchester, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
77.4 mi
1h 29m
I 91
9 mi
10m
Vermont Route 289
4.5 mi
7m
River Road
3.2 mi
5m
Vermont Route 117
2.8 mi
4m
Main Street
1.5 mi
2m
Colchester Road
1 mi
1m
U.S. Route 5
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 77.4 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colchester, VT and Hartland, VT.
1
Start on East Road
100 ft·9 sec·East Road
2
Turn left onto VT 2A
1.5 mi·2 min·Main Street
3
Continue on VT 2A
1.0 mi·1 min·Colchester Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto VT 289
4.5 mi·7 min·Vermont Route 289
Toward VT 289 EastUse the left lane.
5
At end of road, turn left onto VT 117
2.4 mi·3 min·River Road
Toward US 2, VT 289 West: Richmond
6
Continue on VT 117
2.8 mi·4 min·Vermont Route 117
7
Continue on VT 117
0.8 mi·1 min·River Road
8
At end of road, turn left onto US 2
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Main Street
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·15 sec
10
Merge onto I 89
77 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 89
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
13
Merge onto I 91
9.0 mi·10 min·I 91
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Exit 9Toward US 5, VT 12: Hartland, Windsor
15
Turn right onto US 5; VT 12
1.0 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 5
16
Arrive at destination
US 5; VT 12
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule, allowing you to depart whenever suits your plans best. Given that you will be on highways for almost the entire duration, keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you hit the main interstates to avoid unnecessary stops. You won't need to plan for any formal breaks given the 2-hour timeframe, but checking traffic reports for I-89 is a smart move before you head out. Use the simplicity of the route to your advantage by focusing on a smooth, consistent drive. With no required stops, you can easily complete the trip in one go without needing to build in extra buffer time for road fatigue.
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 50.6 miles from Colchester, VT, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.4 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 22 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.6 miles or 1h 5m 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hartland, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colchester, 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 Colchester, VT
This is one driving day of about 101.3 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Colchester, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 89 for about 77.4 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 2.5 and 100.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.5 mi into trip|~4m in|VT 289 / Vermont Route 289
Turn left onto VT 289 / Vermont Route 289 toward VT 289 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward VT 289 East
5
7 mi into trip|~11m in|VT 117 / River Road
At end of road, turn left onto VT 117 / River Road toward US 2, VT 289 West: Richmond
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 2, VT 289 West: Richmond
5
90.7 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Take the exit toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
6
91 mi into trip|~1h 52m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
6
100.1 mi into trip|~2h 2m in
Take the exit toward US 5, VT 12: Hartland, Windsor
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward US 5, VT 12: Hartland, Windsor
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.31 one way
$32.62 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$17.94
$35.89
premium
$4.86
$19.40
$38.80
diesel
$5.61
$22.37
$44.73
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: 35.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.4
0
$10.64
$4.86
Efficient EV
25.3
0
$8.86
$4.05
EV Truck/SUV
40.5
0
$14.18
$6.48
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Colchester, VT
Late night
in Colchester on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hartland, VT
Late night
in Hartland on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
22 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 4m 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
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 87.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily focused on highway travel, with 93% of your journey spent on high-speed roads. You will find yourself settling into a steady rhythm, especially during the longest stretch of 77.4 miles spent cruising on I-89. While you will navigate Vermont Route 289 early on, the vast majority of the experience centers on the efficiency of the interstate system. Expect a consistent, fast-paced drive that prioritizes directness over local meandering. Behind the wheel, this means less time navigating complex intersections and more time maintaining a steady pace as you move through the heart of the state.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 77.4 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and I 91. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near VT 289 / Vermont Route 289.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 4m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (VT 289 / Vermont Route 289): Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (VT 117 / River Road): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 90.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Colchester, VT to Hartland, VT, road signs begin pointing toward White River along the way.
White River
90.7 mi in|~1h 51m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 101.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 77.4 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 2.5 miles (VT 289 / Vermont Route 289): Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (VT 117 / River Road): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 90.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Hartland, VT before heading back.
