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Trip from Decatur, AL to Hayden, AL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 17m

Distance

62.3 mi

100 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 11m ★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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Downtown Decatur, AL, AL

Decatur, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Hayden, AL, AL

Hayden, AL

Muhammad Nabeel

Trip Overview

The drive from Decatur, AL to Hayden, AL covers 62.3 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 65, AL 160, Point Mallard Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 48.8 miles on I 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.13 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 65 48.8 mi 52m
AL 160 5 mi 8m
Point Mallard Parkway 4.2 mi 6m
6th Avenue Southeast 3 mi 5m
US 31 0.4 mi <1m
Lee Street Northeast 0.3 mi <1m
3rd Street 0.1 mi <1m
6th Avenue Northeast 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 65 — 48.8 mi, about 52m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, AL and Hayden, 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

Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast

0.3 mi · 53 sec · Lee Street Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4

At end of road, turn right onto US 31

0.1 mi · 14 sec · 6th Avenue Northeast
Use the right lane.
5

Continue on US 31

3.0 mi · 5 min · 6th Avenue Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Turn left onto AL 67

4.2 mi · 6 min · Point Mallard Parkway
Use the left lane.
7

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward I-65 South: Birmingham Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 65

49 mi · 52 min · I 65
9

Take the exit onto US 31

0.1 mi · 19 sec · US 31
Exit 284 Toward US 31 South, AL 3 South, AL 160 East: Hayden, Corner
10

Enter roundabout onto US 31

65 ft · 2 sec · US 31
11

Continue on US 31

0.1 mi · 11 sec · US 31
12

Enter roundabout onto US 31

215 ft · 4 sec · US 31
13

Continue on US 31

254 ft · 6 sec · US 31
14

Enter roundabout onto AL 160

262 ft · 6 sec · AL 160
15

Continue on AL 160

5.0 mi · 8 min · AL 160
16

Turn left onto CR 7

0.1 mi · 26 sec · 3rd Street
17

Turn right onto 4th Avenue

36 ft · 1 sec · 4th Avenue
18

Arrive at destination

4th Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city and county seat of Cullman County, Alabama, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cullman, AL

31 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

Falkville, AL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cullman, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Decatur, AL, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 57.2 — 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

8
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast

At end of road, turn right onto US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
56.9 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | US 31

Take the exit onto US 31 toward US 31 South, AL 3 South, AL 160 East: Hayden, Corner

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 284 Toward US 31 South, AL 3 South, AL 160 East: Ha...
6
57.1 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | US 31

Enter roundabout onto US 31

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

7
57.2 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | AL 160

Enter roundabout onto AL 160

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.13 one way

$18.25 round trip

$3.72/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.13 $10.13 $20.26
premium $4.49 $11.00 $22.01
diesel $5.60 $13.73 $27.47

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.7 0 $6.54 $2.99
Efficient EV 15.6 0 $5.45 $2.49
EV Truck/SUV 24.9 0 $8.72 $3.99

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 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 Sep 2, 2026

Origin

Decatur, AL

Morning in Decatur on Friday

Local time

6:48 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Clear

0 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:42AM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:27AM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL

Destination

Hayden, AL

Morning in Hayden on Friday

Local time

6:48 AM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Clear

0 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:42AM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:27AM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL

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 17m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

62.3 mi in 1h 17m, mostly highway — 48.8 mi of that is on I 65.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.8 mi on I 65.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and AL 160. 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 Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 17m drive. You will face about 14 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 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.9 miles (US 31): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

912 ft 454 ft

Total Climb

606 ft

Total Descent

612 ft

Highest Point

912 ft

~26.7 mi in

Elevation Range

457 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 Decatur, AL to Hayden, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Corner along the way.

Corner

56.9 mi in | ~1h 7m | via US 31

About the Cities

Starting in Decatur, AL

Full guide →

Founded 1821

Decatur is a city in Alabama. It is called The Ballooning Capital of Alabama.

Top landmarks

  • • Princess Theatre — theater in Decatur, Alabama, United States
  • • Cotaco Opera House — theater in Decatur, Alabama
  • • Bank Street–Old Decatur Historic District — historic district in Alabama, 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 17m. Total distance: 62.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 48.8 miles on I 65. 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 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.9 miles (US 31): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hayden, AL 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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