Traveling from Collinsville to Dothan covers 250.3 miles across Alabama, making for a manageable one-day trip. You should anticipate roughly 5 hours and 16 minutes behind the wheel, though traffic can influence your actual travel time. Budgeting approximately $38 for fuel will cover your transit across this Southeast corridor. Since the route is straightforward, it functions well as a single-day journey without the need for an overnight stay. Whether you are heading south for business or leisure, this drive offers a reliable connection between these two points in the state.
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
125.1 miles from Collinsville, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 36m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 231
69.5 mi
1h 33m
Broadway Avenue
54.6 mi
1h 2m
West Grand Avenue
40.9 mi
59m
Troy Highway
34.7 mi
41m
I 59
23.7 mi
25m
Western Bypass
22.7 mi
26m
AL 68
1.3 mi
2m
Rockford Highway
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 231
— 69.5 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Collinsville, AL and Dothan, AL.
1
Start on 1st Avenue
73 ft·5 sec·1st Avenue
2
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.1 mi·28 sec·West Main Street
3
Continue on AL 68
1.3 mi·2 min·AL 68
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
5
Merge onto I 59
24 mi·25 min·I 59
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Exit 181Toward AL 77: Attalla, Rainbow City
7
Turn right onto AL 77
0.5 mi·1 min·Gilbert Ferry Road Southeast
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on AL 77
41 mi·59 min·West Grand Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto AL 21
23 mi·26 min·Western Bypass
10
Continue on AL 21
1.2 mi·1 min·Rockford Highway
11
Continue on US 231; AL 21
55 mi·1 hr 2 min·Broadway Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto US 231; AL 21
7.6 mi·11 min·US 231; AL 21
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto US 82; US 231
35 mi·41 min·Troy Highway
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on US 231
7.7 mi·9 min·US 231
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on US 231; AL 10
0.1 mi·9 sec·US 231; AL 10
16
Continue on US 231; AL 10
2.0 mi·3 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
17
Continue on US 231; AL 10
7.6 mi·10 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on US 231; AL 10
38 mi·47 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
19
Continue on US 231
6.2 mi·11 min·US 231
Use the straight lane.
20
Turn left onto West Powell Street
0.1 mi·23 sec·West Powell Street
21
Turn right onto North Saint Andrews Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Saint Andrews Street
22
Turn left onto US 84 Business; AL 52
111 ft·3 sec·East Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
US 84 Business; AL 52
Trip Plan
To keep your drive efficient, plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the 5-hour journey. Leaving early in the day is your best strategy for avoiding mid-day traffic congestion, especially when transitioning onto local roads in Dothan. Since the drive is relatively compact, you have the flexibility to adjust your pace based on your personal comfort level. Be mindful that US 231 handles the bulk of your travel time, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge before starting that 69.5-mile stretch. Staying alert during the final transition from the highway onto West Grand Avenue will help you finish your trip smoothly.
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 125.1 miles from Collinsville, AL, or about 2h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 69.5 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 55 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.1 miles or 2h 36m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dothan, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Collinsville, AL 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 Collinsville, AL
This is one driving day of about 250.3 miles and 5h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Collinsville, AL.
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 US 231 for about 69.5 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 0 and 153 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Main Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
6
25.3 mi into trip|~28m in
Take the exit toward AL 77: Attalla, Rainbow City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 181
Toward AL 77: Attalla, Rainbow City
6
145.4 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|US 231; AL 21
Turn left onto US 231; AL 21
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
153 mi into trip|~3h 11m in|US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Turn left onto US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.80 one way
$75.60 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg88 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$41.50
$82.99
premium
$4.56
$44.93
$89.85
diesel
$5.61
$55.26
$110.53
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.1
0
$26.28
$12.01
Efficient EV
62.6
0
$21.90
$10.01
EV Truck/SUV
100.1
1
$35.04
$16.02
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 13, 2026
Origin
Collinsville, AL
Night
in Collinsville on Saturday
Local time
11:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dothan, AL
Night
in Dothan on Saturday
Local time
11:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Partly Sunny
S 5 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
9 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
5h 16m 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 trip is characterized by a mixed drive profile, offering a blend of open highway and local road navigation. US 231 serves as the backbone of your journey, accounting for a significant portion of the 38% highway share. You will navigate a longest uninterrupted stretch of 69.5 miles on US 231, which allows for steady progress before the road transitions into local segments like Broadway Avenue and West Grand Avenue. Expect the personality of the road to shift as you move from the highway into the more localized driving environments near your destination.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 69.5 mi on US 231.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Main 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 16m 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: near the start (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 25.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
782 ft173 ft
Total Climb
659 ft
Total Descent
1,050 ft
Highest Point
782 ft
~107.3 mi in
Elevation Range
609 ft
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 Collinsville, AL to Dothan, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Rainbow City along the way.
Dothan is a city in southeastern Alabama, serving as the county seat of Houston County, and the chief city of the western Wiregrass region, an area encompassing portions of southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Its population in 2018 was about 68,000, making it the largest metropolitan area in southeastern Alabama.
The longest stretch is about 69.5 miles on US 231. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 25.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dothan, AL before the return drive.
