Origin
Eagle River, AK
Night in Eagle River on Saturday
Local time
10:03 PM
AKDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eagle River, AK to Big Lake, AK
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
50.2 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eagle River, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Big Lake, AK
Albert Koenig
Trip Overview
This 50.2-mile drive from Eagle River to Big Lake in Alaska is a straightforward 1-hour and 10-minute journey, perfectly suited for a single day trip. You'll primarily navigate via the Glenn Highway and East Parks Highway before transitioning to West Big Lake Road. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this route is budget-friendly for a quick excursion. The overall feel is that of a local drive, with plenty of turns, making it an easy addition to any Alaskan itinerary without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Highway | 20.8 mi | 23m |
| East Parks Highway | 14.5 mi | 20m |
| West Big Lake Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| West Susitna Parkway | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| West Parks Highway | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| South Big Lake Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| South Jay Sedor Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| West Tinkerbell Court | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Glenn Highway
— 20.8 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eagle River, AK and Big Lake, AK.
1
Start on Monte Road
414 ft
·
19 sec
·
Monte Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Old Glenn Highway
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Old Glenn Highway
3
Continue on Artillery Rd (DETOUR)
362 ft
·
11 sec
·
Artillery Rd (DETOUR)
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
5
Merge onto AK 1
21 mi
·
23 min
·
Glenn Highway
6
Keep slight left at fork onto AK 3
15 mi
·
20 min
·
East Parks Highway
Toward Wasilla, Fairbanks
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on AK 3
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
West Parks Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn left onto West Big Lake Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
West Big Lake Road
9
Enter roundabout onto South Big Lake Road
197 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Big Lake Road
10
Continue on South Big Lake Road
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
South Big Lake Road
11
Continue on West Susitna Parkway
3.6 mi
·
7 min
·
West Susitna Parkway
12
Turn right onto South Jay Sedor Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
South Jay Sedor Street
13
Turn right onto West Tinkerbell Court
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
West Tinkerbell Court
14
Continue on South Crocodile Way
345 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Crocodile Way
15
Arrive at destination
South Crocodile Way
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.1 miles from Eagle River, AK, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Old Glenn Highway
At end of road, turn left onto Old Glenn Highway
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
8
21.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
AK 3 / East Parks Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto AK 3 / East Parks Highway toward Wasilla, Fairbanks
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Wasilla, Fairbanks
4
42.9 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
South Big Lake Road
Enter roundabout onto South Big Lake Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
49.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
South Jay Sedor Street
Turn right onto South Jay Sedor Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.88 one way
$21.76 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $11.44 | $22.88 |
| premium | $5.98 | $11.82 | $23.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.08 | $22.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.27 | $2.41 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.03 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Big Lake, AK
Night in Big Lake on Saturday
Local time
10:03 PM
AKDT
Current temp
27°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
14 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 10m 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" with about 7% of the route on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 20.8 miles on the Glenn Highway. As you progress, the character shifts from more arterial highway driving to the local roads leading into Big Lake. This means you'll experience a varied driving experience, with quicker highway sections giving way to more winding, community-focused roads as you approach your destination.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.8 mi on Glenn Highway.
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 0.1 miles in near Old Glenn Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 10m drive. You will face about 7 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 (Old Glenn Highway): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 21.3 miles (AK 3 / East Parks Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Eagle River, AK and Big Lake, AK, road signs point toward Wasilla and Fairbanks.
Wasilla
21.3 mi in
|
~25m
|
via AK 3
Fairbanks
21.3 mi in
|
~25m
|
via AK 3
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 50.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (7%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.8 miles on Glenn Highway. 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 AK 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 0.1 miles (Old Glenn Highway): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 21.3 miles (AK 3 / East Parks Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Big Lake, AK 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Big Lake, AK
More trips to Big Lake, AK
Explore more options from Eagle River, AK or browse trips ending in Big Lake, AK.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AK road trips.