Origin
Covington, GA
Late night in Covington on Tuesday
Local time
4:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Covington, GA to Alpharetta, GA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
57 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Covington, GA
Mr. Location Scout
Alpharetta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Covington to Alpharetta covers 57 miles of Georgia terrain, typically taking about 1 hour and 9 minutes to complete. Because the trip is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, eliminating the need for an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the journey. The route stays entirely within the Southeast region, transitioning between two local hubs. It is a straightforward, practical drive that provides a direct connection between these two Georgia communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 22.5 mi | 24m |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 17.8 mi | 20m |
| Turner McDonald Parkway | 9.1 mi | 11m |
| Haynes Bridge Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Highway 278 Northwest | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 278 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Pace Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 22.5 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Covington, GA and Alpharetta, GA.
1
Start on this road
80 ft
·
1 sec
·
this road
2
Turn straight onto Monticello Street Southwest
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
Monticello Street Southwest
3
Turn left onto Washington Street Southwest
236 ft
·
4 sec
·
Washington Street Southwest
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Church Street
305 ft
·
6 sec
·
Church Street
5
Continue on Pace Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Pace Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 278 Northwest
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp onto US 278; GA 12
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 278; GA 12
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
8
Merge onto I 20; US 278; GA 12
22 mi
·
24 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 67B
Toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattanooga
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 285
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward GA 400 North, GA 400 South, Peachtree Dunwoody Road, US 19 North: Cumming, Dahlonega, Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 19 North, GA 400 North, GA 400 South: Cumming, Dahlonega, Atlanta
13
Keep slight right at fork
2.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward US 19 North, GA 400 North: Cumming, Dahlonega
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto US 19; GA 400
9.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Turner McDonald Parkway
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 9
Toward Alpharetta, Haynes Bridge Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto Haynes Bridge Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Haynes Bridge Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto GA 120
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Old Milton Parkway
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto GA 9
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Main Street
19
Turn right onto Academy Street
139 ft
·
3 sec
·
Academy Street
20
Arrive at destination
Academy Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Covington, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 24.5 and 54.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
24.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattanooga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67B
Toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattano...
7
42.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward GA 400 North, GA 400 South, Peachtree Dunwoody Road, US 19 North: Cumming, Dahlonega, Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward GA 400 North, GA 400 South, Peachtree Du...
6
43.1 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 19 North, GA 400 North, GA 400 South: Cumming, Dahlonega, Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 19 North, GA 400 North, GA 400 South:...
8
43.8 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 19 North, GA 400 North: Cumming, Dahlonega
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 19 North, GA 400 North: Cumming, Dahl...
8
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Alpharetta, Haynes Bridge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9
Toward Alpharetta, Haynes Bridge Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.91 one way
$17.83 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.75 | $19.49 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.55 | $21.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.58 | $25.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.74 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.98 | $3.65 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Alpharetta, GA
Late night in Alpharetta on Tuesday
Local time
4:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
81°F
Decatur, GA
29 mi in
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
2 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 9m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, navigating instead via local routes like Monticello Street Southwest, Washington Street Southwest, and Church Street. This configuration requires your full attention at the wheel, as the path relies on surface streets rather than high-speed lanes. Prepare for a more hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the local road network from start to finish.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.5 mi on Purple Heart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 24.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Covington, GA and Alpharetta, GA, road signs point toward Chattanooga, Dahlonega and Atlanta.
Chattanooga
24.5 mi in
|
~28m
Dahlonega
42.7 mi in
|
~50m
Atlanta
42.7 mi in
|
~50m
About the Cities
Starting in Covington, GA
Full guide →Founded 1822
Top landmarks
- • Newton County Courthouse — courthouse in Georgia, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 57 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.5 miles on Purple Heart Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Alpharetta, GA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. 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 Alpharetta, GA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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