Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
26.6 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ellsworth, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Bangor, ME
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Ellsworth, ME to Bangor, ME covers 26.6 miles and takes about 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Main Road, Bangor Road, Wilson Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.1 miles on Main Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.43 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Road | 12.1 mi | 18m |
| Bangor Road | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Wilson Street | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| State Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Oak Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Union Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Hammond Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Ellsworth, ME and Bangor, ME.
Start on Main Street
Turn right onto US 1A
Continue on US 1A
Continue on US 1A
Continue on US 1A
Continue on US 1A
Continue on US 1A
Continue on US 1A; ME 9 Business
Turn slight left onto US 2; ME 100
Arrive at destination
1 decision points cluster around mile 0 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 1A / Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$4.43 one way
$8.86 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $4.92 | $9.83 |
| premium | $5.07 | $5.31 | $10.61 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $5.86 | $11.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Ellsworth on Tuesday
Local time
10:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Bangor on Tuesday
Local time
10:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
26.6 mi in 43m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 1A / Oak Street.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Ellsworth, ME to Bangor, ME is easy. At 43m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
There is one spot that needs extra attention: near the start (US 1A / Oak Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
567 ft
Total Descent
554 ft
Highest Point
453 ft
~7.9 mi in
Elevation Range
353 ft
Founded 1763
Ellsworth is a small city in Maine on the Union River. It is the county seat of Hancock County, with a population of about 6500 people. It was settled in 1763 and became a large lumber port and ship building center during the 19th century. Today it's the increasingly prosperous shopping center for Hancock County and the gateway for many tourists visiting Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island and the Bar Harbor region. Ellsworth has many historic buildings, beautiful spots and points of interest. Maine Coast Memorial Hospital is there. From May until September Ellsworth is busy with lots of visitors from all over the United States and Canada.
Top landmarks
Bangor is a small city of 32,000 people (2019) in the Highlands region of Maine. Bangor is the third-largest city in the state and the retail, cultural and service center for central, eastern and northern Maine. It is a good base for exploring Aroostook County, Down East & Acadia, the Maine Highlands and Maine’s Mid-Coast.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 26.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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