Origin
Harrisburg, PA
Morning in Harrisburg on Tuesday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harrisburg, PA to East Franklin, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
42.6 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Franklin, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.6-mile journey from Harrisburg to East Franklin, Pennsylvania, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 54 minutes. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $7, it's an economical choice for a day trip. The route primarily utilizes local roads, including American Legion Memorial Highway, North Cameron Street, and North 7th Street, with a significant portion on the American Legion Memorial Highway. Since it's a short drive with no recommended stops, you'll have plenty of flexibility in your timing. Both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, so you won't be crossing major regional boundaries.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| American Legion Memorial Highway | 39.3 mi | 46m |
| North Cameron Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North 7th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Maclay Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| US 209 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
American Legion Memorial Highway
— 39.3 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harrisburg, PA and East Franklin, PA.
1
Start on North 7th Street
89 ft
·
3 sec
·
North 7th Street
2
Enter roundabout onto North 7th Street
81 ft
·
2 sec
·
North 7th Street
3
Continue on North 7th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North 7th Street
4
Turn right onto Maclay Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Maclay Street
5
Turn left onto US 22
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Cameron Street
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 81 South, I 81 North, US 322 East: Carlisle, Hazleton, Allentown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 81 North, US 322 East: Hazleton, Allentown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 81; US 322
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
American Legion Memorial Highway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
38 mi
·
44 min
·
American Legion Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward US 209: Tremont, Tower City
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 209
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
US 209
12
Arrive at destination
US 209
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 miles from Harrisburg, PA, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 7th Street
Enter roundabout onto North 7th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 81 South, I 81 North, US 322 East: Carlisle, Hazleton, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 81 South, I 81 North, US 322 East: Car...
8
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 81 North, US 322 East: Hazleton, Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 81 North, US 322 East: Hazleton, Allen...
6
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
41.9 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward US 209: Tremont, Tower City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 209: Tremont, Tower City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.06 one way
$14.13 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.74 | $15.47 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.26 | $16.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.41 | $18.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.73 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.96 | $2.73 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
East Franklin, PA
Morning in East Franklin on Tuesday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
54m 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' for this 54-minute trip. While 100% of the route is on local roads, you'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 39.3 miles on the American Legion Memorial Highway. This suggests a drive that involves frequent navigation and potentially slower speeds compared to interstate travel. The character of the drive will likely shift as you move from more urban Harrisburg streets onto the longer stretch of the memorial highway, offering a varied driving experience without the monotony of a pure highway cruise.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.3 mi on American Legion Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 North 7th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 42.6 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 (North 7th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Harrisburg, PA
Full guide →Founded 1719
Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.
Top landmarks
- • Pennsylvania State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
- • Cathedral of Saint Patrick — cathedral of the Catholic Church in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United St...
- • Harrisburg Transportation Center — intermodal station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Arriving in East Franklin, PA
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Allegheny River Lock and Dam No. 7 — gravity dam and lock in East Franklin Township and Kittanning, Pennsylvania
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 54m. Total distance: 42.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.3 miles on American Legion Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 East Franklin, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: near the start (North 7th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East Franklin, PA 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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