Origin
Dover, NH
Late night in Dover on Sunday
Local time
2:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dover, NH to Alton, NH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
26.5 mi
43 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dover, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Alton, NH
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
Dover, NH to Alton, NH is 26.5 miles and takes about 42 minutes via Spaulding Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip entirely within New Hampshire, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive is primarily on well-maintained highways, making it an easy option for a quick excursion or a connection between two areas. With a recommended one-day trip, you'll have plenty of time to complete the journey without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Spaulding Turnpike | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| Henry Wilson Highway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NH Route 11 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Farmington Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Central Avenue | 1.9 mi | 5m |
| NH 11 | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Indian Brook Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Spaulding Turnpike
— 8.5 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dover, NH and Alton, NH.
1
Start on this road
21 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn sharp left onto NH 9; NH 108
320 ft
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn straight onto NH 9; NH 108
1.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Indian Brook Drive
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Indian Brook Drive
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Spaulding Turnpike North, NH 16 North: Rochester
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto NH 16
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Spaulding Turnpike
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 15
Toward NH 11 West: Farmington, Alton
8
Turn left onto NH 11
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Farmington Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on NH 11
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
NH Route 11
10
Continue on NH 11
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Henry Wilson Highway
11
Enter roundabout onto NH 11; NH 28A
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
NH 11; NH 28A
12
Continue on NH 11; NH 28A
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
NH 11; NH 28A
13
Turn left
336 ft
·
24 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street
Turn sharp left onto NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Indian Brook Drive
Turn left onto Indian Brook Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward Spaulding Turnpike North, NH 16 North: Rochester
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Spaulding Turnpike North, NH 16 North: R...
6
11 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward NH 11 West: Farmington, Alton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 15
Toward NH 11 West: Farmington, Alton
5
26.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.27 one way
$8.53 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.69 | $9.39 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.07 | $10.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.85 | $11.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.59
Spaulding Turnpike
(8.5 mi)
$0.59
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Alton, NH
Late night in Alton on Sunday
Local time
2:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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
42m 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?
This route offers a mixed driving experience, with 57% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Spaulding Turnpike, including an uninterrupted stretch of 8.5 miles. As you transition to Henry Wilson Highway and NH Route 11, expect the road character to change, likely offering a more local feel after the highway segments. The overall drive is designed for efficient travel, balancing higher-speed road sections with potentially more varied local road conditions.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.5 mi on Spaulding Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 26.5 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2 miles (Indian Brook Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. 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.
On the drive from Dover, NH to Alton, NH, road signs begin pointing toward Spaulding Turnpike North along the way.
Spaulding Turnpike North
2.3 mi in
|
~6m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 26.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.5 miles on Spaulding Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.59 in tolls one way, starting with Spaulding Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 NH 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: near the start (NH 9; NH 108 / Main Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2 miles (Indian Brook Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Alton, NH 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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