Franconia to Dover is 108.4 miles and takes about 2 hours 29 minutes via Styles Bridges Highway and NH 11, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within New Hampshire, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It offers a mixed driving experience, making it a manageable trip for a single day. You'll encounter a blend of highway travel and local road navigation. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward, relatively short journey between two points in the Granite State.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
54.2 miles from Franconia, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Styles Bridges Highway
51.7 mi
55m
NH 11
14.6 mi
22m
New Hampshire Route 140
10 mi
17m
Spaulding Turnpike
8.7 mi
10m
Franconia Notch Parkway
7.6 mi
11m
Frank C. Gilman Highway
3.7 mi
6m
Depot Street
2.9 mi
5m
Gilmanton Road
1.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Styles Bridges Highway
— 51.7 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franconia, NH and Dover, NH.
1
Start on NH 116
425 ft·12 sec·Easton Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
3
Merge onto I 93
4.1 mi·4 min·Styles Bridges Highway
4
Continue on I 93; US 3
7.6 mi·11 min·Franconia Notch Parkway
5
Continue on I 93
48 mi·51 min·Styles Bridges Highway
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Exit 20Toward US 3, NH 11: Laconia, Tilton
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 3; NH 11; NH 132
0.3 mi·46 sec·Laconia Road
8
Turn right onto NH 140
1.8 mi·2 min·Tilton Road
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on NH 140
2.9 mi·5 min·Depot Street
10
Continue on NH 140
0.2 mi·31 sec·Main Street
11
Continue on NH 140
0.2 mi·34 sec·State Route 140
12
Continue on NH 140
1.9 mi·3 min·Gilmanton Road
13
Continue on NH 140
10 mi·17 min·New Hampshire Route 140
14
Continue on NH 140
3.7 mi·6 min·Frank C. Gilman Highway
15
Continue on NH 140
0.5 mi·1 min·Factory Street
16
At end of road, turn right onto NH 11; NH 28A
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
17
Enter roundabout onto NH 11
0.1 mi·17 sec·NH 11
18
Continue on NH 11
14 mi·22 min·NH 11
Use the left lane.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Exit 15
20
Continue on NH 16 On-Ramp South
0.3 mi·25 sec·NH 16 On-Ramp South
Exit 15
21
Merge onto NH 16; US 202
8.7 mi·10 min·Spaulding Turnpike
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 9Toward NH 9, NH 108: Dover, Somersworth
23
At end of road, turn left onto Indian Brook Drive
0.5 mi·1 min·Indian Brook Drive
Use the left lane.
24
Turn left onto Sixth Street
1.6 mi·4 min·Sixth Street
Use the left lane.
25
Turn right onto NH 9; NH 108
0.2 mi·29 sec·Central Avenue
26
Turn left
114 ft·5 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
27
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the drive's duration of just under 2.5 hours, you have significant flexibility with departure times. Leaving in the morning allows you to arrive with plenty of daylight. With only 108.4 miles, you won't need to plan for extensive stopovers, but it’s always wise to take short breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially before embarking on the 51.7-mile stretch on Styles Bridges Highway, as services might be less frequent in certain sections. Budgeting around $17 for fuel should cover this trip comfortably.
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 54.2 miles from Franconia, NH, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.7 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 24 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.2 miles or 1h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dover, NH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Franconia, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Franconia, NH
This is one driving day of about 108.4 miles and 2h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Franconia, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Styles Bridges Highway for about 51.7 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 59.7 and 106.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
59.7 mi into trip|~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 3, NH 11: Laconia, Tilton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 20
Toward US 3, NH 11: Laconia, Tilton
5
60.4 mi into trip|~1h 10m in|NH 140 / Tilton Road
Turn right onto NH 140 / Tilton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
105.8 mi into trip|~2h 23m in
Take the exit toward NH 9, NH 108: Dover, Somersworth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward NH 9, NH 108: Dover, Somersworth
5
106.1 mi into trip|~2h 23m in|Indian Brook Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Indian Brook Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
106.6 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|Sixth Street
Turn left onto Sixth Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.45 one way
$34.90 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$19.20
$38.40
premium
$4.86
$20.76
$41.52
diesel
$5.61
$23.93
$47.87
Estimated Tolls: $0.61
Spaulding Turnpike
(8.7 mi)$0.61
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.5
0
$11.38
$5.20
Efficient EV
27.1
0
$9.49
$4.34
EV Truck/SUV
43.4
0
$15.18
$6.94
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Franconia, NH
Night
in Franconia on Saturday
Local time
9:18 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dover, NH
Night
in Dover on Saturday
Local time
9:18 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
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
2h 29m 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?
This route features a mixed drive, with 38% of it on highways. Expect a longest uninterrupted stretch of 51.7 miles on Styles Bridges Highway. As you progress, the road will transition from more highway-like conditions to navigating through local New Hampshire roads. This variety means you'll experience different driving dynamics, from maintaining speed on faster sections to adjusting for local traffic and turns. The landscape will change subtly as you move across the state.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.7 mi on Styles Bridges Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 59.7 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 108.4 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 59.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.4 miles (NH 140 / Tilton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 105.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Franconia, NH to Dover, NH, road signs begin pointing toward Tilton along the way.
Tilton
59.7 mi in|~1h 8m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 29m. Total distance: 108.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.7 miles on Styles Bridges Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.61 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Dover, NH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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: at 59.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.4 miles (NH 140 / Tilton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 105.8 miles: 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 Dover, NH before heading back.
