Origin
Guntersville, AL
Morning in Guntersville on Sunday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Guntersville, AL to Decatur, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
61.6 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Guntersville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Guntersville and Decatur, Alabama, this 61.4-mile trip is a straightforward journey through the Southeast. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 7 minutes behind the wheel, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion that doesn't require an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, the trip is quite economical for most vehicles. You will be navigating local roads rather than interstates, so prepare for a more personal driving experience. Since both endpoints are located within the same state, the transition between these two communities feels like a seamless local transition rather than a major regional shift.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Short Route | 22.4 mi | 26m |
| I 565 | 16.6 mi | 17m |
| US 431 | 15.6 mi | 22m |
| Huntsville-Decatur Highway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Bee Line Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Blount Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Florida Short Route
— 22.4 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Guntersville, AL and Decatur, AL.
1
Start on US 431; AL 79
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Gunter Avenue
2
Turn left onto Ringold Street
295 ft
·
15 sec
·
Ringold Street
3
Turn left onto US 431; AL 79
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Blount Avenue
4
Continue on US 431; AL 79
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Paddle Wheel Drive
5
Continue on US 431; AL 79
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Florida Short Route
6
Continue on US 431
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Florida Short Route
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 431
16 mi
·
22 min
·
US 431
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I-565 West: Decatur
9
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
17 mi
·
17 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
10
Continue on US 72 Alternate; SR 20
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
US 72 Alternate; SR 20
11
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Huntsville-Decatur Highway
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Bee Line Highway
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Guntersville, AL, 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 61.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ringold Street
Turn left onto Ringold Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 431; AL 79 / Blount Avenue
Turn left onto US 431; AL 79 / Blount Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
61 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
61.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
61.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.30 one way
$18.61 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $10.21 | $20.43 |
| premium | $4.56 | $11.06 | $22.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.60 | $27.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.62 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Decatur, AL
Morning in Decatur on Sunday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
4 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
1h 18m 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?
Forget about the monotonous grind of high-speed interstates; this route is a turn-heavy local drive with a 0% highway share. Your journey will take you along Ringold Street, Blount Avenue, and Paddle Wheel Drive, requiring your full attention as you navigate the local infrastructure. Because the longest stretch is technically 0 miles on Ringold Street, you should anticipate a constant need to manage turns and intersections throughout the entire 61.4-mile path. This isn't a route where you can put the car in cruise control and zone out. Instead, it offers a hands-on experience that keeps you engaged with the local geography from start to finish.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.4 mi on Florida Short Route.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ringold Street.
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 18m 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 (Ringold Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 431; AL 79 / Blount Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 61 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Guntersville, AL
Full guide →Guntersville is a town in the mountains of Alabama.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.4 miles on Florida Short Route. 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ringold Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 431; AL 79 / Blount Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 61 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, AL 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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