Connecting Decatur to Guin, this 89.2-mile trek through Alabama’s Southeast region takes approximately 1 hour and 53 minutes to complete. Because the duration is relatively short, you can easily manage this as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate along AL 24, the Andrew Jackson Highway, and the Gordon Terry Parkway. Budgeting about $14 for fuel will cover your transit across this stretch of the state. It is a straightforward, mixed-drive experience that serves well for commuters or travelers looking for a direct route between these two locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
44.6 miles from Decatur, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
AL 24
35.4 mi
42m
Andrew Jackson Highway
34.5 mi
42m
Gordon Terry Parkway
7.5 mi
9m
US 43
6.6 mi
9m
U.S. Highway 43
2.8 mi
3m
Moulton Street East
1.9 mi
3m
2nd Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi
<1m
Ferry Street Northeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
AL 24
— 35.4 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, AL and Guin, AL.
1
Start on this road
426 ft·36 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
164 ft·8 sec·Ferry Street Northeast
3
Continue on 2nd Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi·39 sec·2nd Avenue Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto Moulton Street East
1.9 mi·3 min·Moulton Street East
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on Gordon Terry Parkway
7.5 mi·9 min·Gordon Terry Parkway
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on AL 24
2.0 mi·2 min·AL 24
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on AL 24
33 mi·39 min·AL 24
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward US 43: Russellville, Muscle Shoals, Hamilton
9
Turn left onto US 43; AL 13; AL 17
6.7 mi·7 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
10
Turn right onto US 43; AL 17
6.6 mi·7 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
11
Continue on US 43; AL 17
2.8 mi·3 min·U.S. Highway 43
12
Continue on US 43; AL 17
21 mi·27 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 43; US 278; AL 171
6.6 mi·9 min·US 43; US 278; AL 171
14
Turn left onto US 43; AL 118; AL 171
53 ft·1 sec·US 43; AL 118; AL 171
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
US 43; AL 118; AL 171
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable drive of under two hours, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure schedule. You won't need to worry about planning complex rest stops along the way, as the route is short enough to complete in one go. Keep in mind that your fuel costs will be modest, hovering around $14, so topping off your tank before you leave Decatur should be plenty to get you to Guin. A smart strategy is to prioritize steady travel during daylight hours to maintain visibility on the varied road types. Given the lack of scheduled stops, use the 35.4-mile stretch on AL 24 to get into a steady rhythm before navigating the final transition into Guin.
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 44.6 miles from Decatur, AL, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.4 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 20 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44.6 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Guin, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Decatur, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Decatur, AL
This is one driving day of about 89.2 miles and 1h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Decatur, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on AL 24 for about 35.4 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 89.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Ferry Street Northeast
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
3
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|2nd Avenue Northeast
Continue onto 2nd Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Moulton Street East
Turn right onto Moulton Street East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
45.1 mi into trip|~56m in
Take the exit toward US 43: Russellville, Muscle Shoals, Hamilton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 43: Russellville, Muscle Shoals, Hami...
6
89.2 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|US 43; AL 118; AL 171
Turn left onto US 43; AL 118; AL 171
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.47 one way
$26.94 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$14.79
$29.58
premium
$4.56
$16.01
$32.02
diesel
$5.61
$19.69
$39.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.8
0
$9.37
$4.28
Efficient EV
22.3
0
$7.81
$3.57
EV Truck/SUV
35.7
0
$12.49
$5.71
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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
Decatur, AL
Late night
in Decatur on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Guin, AL
Late night
in Guin on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Russellville, AL
45 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
1 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 53m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a varied driving experience as you transition across the 89.2-mile distance. With a highway share of 59%, you will encounter a blend of faster highway speeds and slower local transit. Your longest uninterrupted segment occurs on AL 24, which spans 35.4 miles of the journey. This mix keeps the drive from feeling like a monotonous interstate grind while still allowing you to make efficient progress toward your destination. You will find that the road’s personality shifts comfortably between these different types of thoroughfares, providing a balanced pace throughout the trip.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.4 mi on AL 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 0.1 miles in near Ferry Street Northeast.
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 53m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (2nd Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Moulton Street East): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
941 ft446 ft
Total Climb
636 ft
Total Descent
761 ft
Highest Point
941 ft
~57.4 mi in
Elevation Range
495 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Decatur, AL and Guin, AL, road signs point toward Muscle Shoals and Hamilton.
Muscle Shoals
45.1 mi in|~56m
Hamilton
45.1 mi in|~56m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 89.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 35.4 miles on AL 24. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (2nd Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Moulton Street East): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Guin, AL before heading back.
