Origin
Houston, AK
Evening in Houston on Saturday
Local time
8:16 PM
AKDT
Current temp
24°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Houston, AK to Wasilla, AK
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
15.5 mi
25 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Wasilla, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Houston and Wasilla, Alaska, is a quick 15.5-mile journey that typically takes about 18 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, this trip is easily managed in a single day, making it ideal for a straightforward commute or local errand run. You will rely primarily on West Parks Highway and Main Street to navigate between these two Alaskan communities. With fuel costs estimated at $3 for the trip, it is an incredibly economical route to traverse. Whether you are heading into town for supplies or returning home, the simplicity of this drive allows for maximum scheduling flexibility. You won’t need to worry about overnight lodging or complex planning for this brief excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Parks Highway | 10.7 mi | 15m |
| George Parks Highway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Parks Highway
— 10.7 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Houston, AK and Wasilla, AK.
1
Start on AK 3
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
George Parks Highway
2
Continue on AK 3
11 mi
·
15 min
·
West Parks Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn left onto Main Street
15 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
1 of 11 decision points cluster around mile 15.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.36 one way
$6.72 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $3.53 | $7.07 |
| premium | $5.98 | $3.65 | $7.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Wasilla, AK
Evening in Wasilla on Saturday
Local time
8:16 PM
AKDT
Current temp
44°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
20 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
22m 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 rather than a high-speed interstate experience. While you will utilize West Parks Highway, the route maintains a 0% highway share, meaning you won't encounter long, monotonous stretches of freeway. In fact, there is no significant uninterrupted stretch on the highway, as the road requires frequent attention to turns and local traffic patterns. The personality of this drive is defined by its localized nature, shifting quickly from the surroundings of Houston toward the heart of Wasilla. You should prepare for a hands-on driving experience where the road surface and path evolve constantly over the 15.5-mile span.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
4 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.7 mi on West Parks Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 around 15.5 miles in near Main Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Houston, AK to Wasilla, AK is easy. At 22m 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: at 15.5 miles (Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
363 ft
209 ft
Total Climb
210 ft
Total Descent
122 ft
Highest Point
363 ft
~12.2 mi in
Elevation Range
154 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 15.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.7 miles on West Parks 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.
There is one spot that needs extra attention: at 15.5 miles (Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wasilla, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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