Traveling from Denmark to Portland is a straightforward 48.2-mile journey that takes approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to easily complete the trek without needing an overnight stay. You will traverse the Northeast region, transitioning from the quiet atmosphere of Denmark into the urban environment of Portland. With a fuel cost of around $8, this drive is an affordable way to reach the coast. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that serves as a reliable connection between these two Maine locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
24.1 miles from Denmark, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 36m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Roosevelt Trail
24.7 mi
35m
Forest Avenue
4.4 mi
5m
Bridgton Road
3.8 mi
7m
East Main Street
3.6 mi
6m
South High Street
3.1 mi
5m
Portland Road
2.8 mi
3m
Portland - Peaks Island
2.5 mi
20m
Seashore Avenue
0.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Roosevelt Trail
— 24.7 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denmark, ME and City of Portland, ME.
1
Start on ME117
3.6 mi·6 min·East Main Street
2
Continue on South High Street
3.1 mi·5 min·South High Street
3
Turn right onto Sandy Creek Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Sandy Creek Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 302
2.8 mi·3 min·Portland Road
5
Continue on US 302
20 mi·30 min·Roosevelt Trail
Use the straight lane.
6
Enter roundabout onto US 302
283 ft·9 sec·Roosevelt Trail
Toward US 302: Portland
7
Continue on US 302
4.2 mi·4 min·Roosevelt Trail
Toward US 302: Portland
8
Continue on US 302
3.8 mi·7 min·Bridgton Road
9
Continue on US 302
4.4 mi·5 min·Forest Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Marginal Way
0.5 mi·1 min·Marginal Way
11
Turn right onto US 1A
0.7 mi·1 min·Franklin Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on Maine State Pier
0.1 mi·29 sec·Maine State Pier
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn slight right
187 ft·13 sec
14
Turn straight onto Portland - Peaks Island
2.5 mi·20 min·Portland - Peaks Island
15
Continue
213 ft·15 sec
16
Continue on Welch Street
0.2 mi·49 sec·Welch Street
17
Turn right onto Oakland Avenue
0.1 mi·26 sec·Oakland Avenue
18
Turn slight left onto Whitehead Street
351 ft·15 sec·Whitehead Street
19
Continue on Seashore Avenue
0.2 mi·46 sec·Seashore Avenue
20
Continue on Seashore Avenue
0.6 mi·2 min·Seashore Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Seashore Avenue
Trip Plan
Since this is a short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever it best fits your schedule without worrying about complex pacing or multiple rest stops. Given the turn-heavy nature of the route, stay alert for shifting speed limits and traffic patterns as you transition from rural stretches into the more densely populated areas of Portland. You won't need to stress about refueling mid-trip, as the $8 fuel budget reflects the efficiency of this 48.2-mile route. Make sure to double-check your route navigation before leaving Denmark, as sticking to the combination of Roosevelt Trail, Bridgton Road, and Forest Avenue is key to maintaining your estimated 1 hour and 32-minute arrival time.
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 24.1 miles from Denmark, ME, or about 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.7 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 11 miles or 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 24.1 miles or 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 1h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Portland, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Denmark, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Denmark, ME
This is one driving day of about 48.2 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 11 miles from Denmark, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Roosevelt Trail for about 24.7 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 7.4 and 47.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
7.4 mi into trip|~13m in|US 302 / Portland Road
At end of road, turn right onto US 302 / Portland Road
Navigation decision point
5
30.7 mi into trip|~46m in|US 302 / Roosevelt Trail
Enter roundabout onto US 302 / Roosevelt Trail toward US 302: Portland
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward US 302: Portland
4
43.1 mi into trip|~1h 4m in|Marginal Way
Turn left onto Marginal Way
Navigation decision point
5
43.6 mi into trip|~1h 5m in|US 1A / Franklin Street
Turn right onto US 1A / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
47.3 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|Oakland Avenue
Turn right onto Oakland Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.76 one way
$15.52 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg17 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$8.54
$17.07
premium
$4.86
$9.23
$18.46
diesel
$5.61
$10.64
$21.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$33–$58
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.5
0
$5.06
$2.31
Efficient EV
12.1
0
$4.22
$1.93
EV Truck/SUV
19.3
0
$6.75
$3.08
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Denmark, ME
Late night
in Denmark on Sunday
Local time
12:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Portland, ME
Late night
in City of Portland on Sunday
Local time
12:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live 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
13 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 32m 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 turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend your time on roads like the Roosevelt Trail, Bridgton Road, and Forest Avenue, with 0% of the trip spent on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 24.7-mile segment along the Roosevelt Trail. Because this route relies entirely on local roads, you should prepare for a winding experience that changes character as you move away from Denmark and eventually merge into the city streets of Portland.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.7 mi on Roosevelt Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 7.4 miles in near US 302 / Portland Road.
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 32m 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 7.4 miles (US 302 / Portland Road): Navigation decision point; at 30.7 miles (US 302 / Roosevelt Trail): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 43.1 miles (Marginal Way): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
545 ft-5 ft
Total Climb
164 ft
Total Descent
668 ft
Highest Point
545 ft
~3.4 mi in
Elevation Range
550 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 48.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 24.7 miles on Roosevelt Trail. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ME 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: at 7.4 miles (US 302 / Portland Road): Navigation decision point; at 30.7 miles (US 302 / Roosevelt Trail): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 43.1 miles (Marginal Way): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Portland, ME before heading back.
