Colchester, VT to Wallingford, VT is 84 miles and takes about 2h 15m via Vermont Route 116, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Vermont, connecting the Northeast region to itself. With a low highway share, you'll mostly be on surface roads, making it a more relaxed drive. It's a straightforward route, perfect for a single day of travel without feeling rushed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42 miles from Colchester, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vermont Route 116
14.2 mi
21m
Franklin Street
14.1 mi
23m
North Main Street
11.3 mi
18m
Ethan Allen Highway
10.9 mi
16m
Case Street
6.1 mi
8m
South 116 Road
5.5 mi
8m
North 116 Road
4.1 mi
6m
Saint George Road
3.7 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Vermont Route 116
— 14.2 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colchester, VT and Wallingford, 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
1.9 mi·3 min·Colchester Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on VT 2A
0.9 mi·2 min·Lincoln Street
5
Continue on VT 2A
0.7 mi·2 min·Park Street
6
Continue on VT 2A
2.2 mi·3 min·Essex Road
7
Continue on VT 2A
3.7 mi·5 min·Saint George Road
8
Continue on VT 2A
2.0 mi·2 min·Vermont Route 2A
9
At end of road, turn left onto VT 116
14 mi·21 min·Vermont Route 116
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on VT 116
4.1 mi·6 min·North 116 Road
11
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.9 mi·1 min·Rockydale Road
12
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.5 mi·1 min·East Street
13
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.2 mi·25 sec·Main Street
14
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.6 mi·53 sec·West Street
15
Continue on VT 17; VT 116
0.5 mi·56 sec·Stony Hill Road
16
Turn left onto VT 116
2.1 mi·3 min·South 116 Road
17
Continue on VT 116
3.4 mi·5 min·South 116 Road
18
Continue on VT 116
6.1 mi·8 min·Case Street
19
Turn right onto VT 116
0.5 mi·51 sec·Ossie Road
20
At end of road, turn left onto US 7
1.1 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 7 South
21
Continue on US 7
11 mi·16 min·Ethan Allen Highway
22
Continue on US 7; VT 73
0.2 mi·39 sec·Conant Square
23
Continue on US 7; VT 73
0.2 mi·44 sec·Center Street
24
Continue on US 7
14 mi·23 min·Franklin Street
25
Continue on US 7
11 mi·18 min·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
26
Turn right onto VT 140
275 ft·9 sec·Depot Street
27
Arrive at destination
VT 140
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 15m duration, leaving Colchester, VT in the morning allows ample time to reach Wallingford, VT well before evening. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility in scheduling breaks. You won't need to worry about extensive refueling stops, with an estimated fuel cost of $14 for the 84 miles. Keep an eye out as you transition onto Vermont Route 116, as this is where you'll spend the longest continuous segment of your drive.
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 42 miles from Colchester, VT, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.2 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 18 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42 miles or 1h 7m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wallingford, 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 84 miles and 2h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Colchester, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Vermont Route 116 for about 14.2 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 84 — 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
12.9 mi into trip|~22m in|VT 116 / Vermont Route 116
At end of road, turn left onto VT 116 / Vermont Route 116
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
33.9 mi into trip|~55m in|VT 116 / South 116 Road
Turn left onto VT 116 / South 116 Road
Navigation decision point
4
46 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|US 7 / U.S. Route 7 South
At end of road, turn left onto US 7 / U.S. Route 7 South
Navigation decision point
4
84 mi into trip|~2h 15m in|VT 140 / Depot Street
Turn right onto VT 140 / Depot Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.66 one way
$29.32 round trip
$4.43/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.93
$16.32
$32.63
premium
$5.30
$17.53
$35.06
diesel
$6.18
$20.43
$40.87
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: 29.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.2
0
$8.82
$4.03
Efficient EV
21
0
$7.35
$3.36
EV Truck/SUV
33.6
0
$11.76
$5.38
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Colchester, VT
Morning
in Colchester on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Clear
S 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Wallingford, VT
Morning
in Wallingford on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Clear
S 2 mph0% chanceLive 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
11 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
2h 15m 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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 75.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a highway share of 21%, meaning you'll transition from highway driving to surface roads relatively early. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 14.2 miles, found on Vermont Route 116. Expect a predominantly surface road experience for most of the 84 miles. The profile suggests mostly surface roads, so you'll likely encounter town centers and varied speed limits.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.2 mi on Vermont Route 116.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near VT 2A / Main Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Colchester, VT to Wallingford, VT is easy. At 2h 15m with 21% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (VT 116 / Vermont Route 116): Lane positioning matters here; at 33.9 miles (VT 116 / South 116 Road): Navigation decision point.
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
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.2 miles on Vermont Route 116. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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, 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: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (VT 116 / Vermont Route 116): Lane positioning matters here; at 33.9 miles (VT 116 / South 116 Road): 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 Wallingford, VT before heading back.
