Colchester, VT to Strafford, VT is 86.8 miles and takes about 1h 55m via I 89 and Route 132, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Vermont, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Given its short duration and mostly highway profile, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll spend the majority of your time on Interstate 89 before transitioning to surface roads.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.4 miles from Colchester, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
64.6 mi
1h 14m
Route 132
6.3 mi
12m
Vermont Route 289
4.5 mi
7m
River Road
3.2 mi
5m
Vermont Route 117
2.8 mi
4m
Justin Morrill Memorial Highway
2.3 mi
5m
Main Street
1.5 mi
2m
Colchester Road
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 64.6 mi, about 1h 14m
Traffic on I-89
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 23 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,138 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,481
Quietest
1 AM
~34 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
33.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Colchester, VT and Strafford, 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
65 mi·1 hr 14 min·I 89
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward VT 132: Sharon, VT 14
12
Turn left onto VT 132
6.3 mi·12 min·Route 132
13
Turn left onto Justin Morrill Memorial Highway
2.3 mi·5 min·Justin Morrill Memorial Highway
14
Turn straight onto Brook Road
0.1 mi·27 sec·Brook Road
15
Turn right
67 ft·4 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of under two hours and a fuel cost estimated at $15, this is a flexible trip you can easily complete in one day. Consider leaving in the morning to allow ample time for any spontaneous stops or to simply enjoy the drive without feeling rushed. The bulk of your travel will be on I 89, so plan to refuel before you begin or early in your journey, as services can be spaced out. Once you exit the interstate onto Route 132, you'll encounter more local roads, so pay attention to speed limit changes.
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 43.4 miles from Colchester, VT, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.6 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 19 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.4 miles or 56m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Strafford, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colchester, VT
This is one driving day of about 86.8 miles and 1h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 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 64.6 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 and 86.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|VT 2A / Main Street
Turn left onto VT 2A / Main Street
Navigation decision point
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
78 mi into trip|~1h 36m in
Take the exit toward VT 132: Sharon, VT 14
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward VT 132: Sharon, VT 14
5
86.8 mi into trip|~1h 55m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.34 one way
$30.69 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$16.81
$33.61
premium
$5.29
$18.07
$36.15
diesel
$5.35
$18.28
$36.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26
0
$9.11
$4.17
Efficient EV
21.7
0
$7.60
$3.47
EV Truck/SUV
34.7
0
$12.15
$5.56
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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 May 25, 2026
Origin
Colchester, VT
Afternoon
in Colchester on Wednesday
Local time
3:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
S 1 to 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Strafford, VT
Afternoon
in Strafford on Wednesday
Local time
3:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
NW 0 to 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
77°F
Duxbury, VT
43 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
7 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
1h 55m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 77.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 90% of the 86.8 miles spent on interstates. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 64.6 miles on I 89. You'll experience rural cruising on I 89 for a significant portion of the trip before transitioning to Vermont Route 289 and then Route 132, which will offer a change of pace.
90% 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: 64.6 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and Route 132. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near VT 2A / Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 55m 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: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,577 ft271 ft
Total Climb
1,809 ft
Total Descent
1,143 ft
Highest Point
1,577 ft
~49.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,306 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Colchester is a town in Northwest Vermont. It is home to Saint Michael's College. Colchester is primarily a bedroom community of Burlington. The town is very spread out, with most businesses and residences clustered in three villages: Colchester village, Mallet's Bay, and Severance Corners. St. Michael's College is located in the southeast corner of the town near Winooski and Essex Junction.
Top landmarks
•Fort Ethan Allen — historic Army base in Vermont, USA
The longest stretch is about 64.6 miles on I 89. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
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 Strafford, VT before heading back.
