Chilton County Rest Area (Southbound)
0 mi from route
Trip from Huntsville, AL to Elba, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 21m
Distance
267.6 mi
431 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 8m
★
6 AM
5h 21m
8 AM
5h 48m
10 AM
5h 31m
12 PM
5h 28m
3 PM
5h 32m
5 PM
5h 47m
8 PM
5h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Elba, AL
Earth Photart
Trip Overview
Huntsville to Elba is 267.6 miles and takes about 5h 21m via I 65 and Troy Highway, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Alabama, moving from the Southeast region down to the southern part of the state. With most of the drive on highways, expect a fairly straightforward cruise for much of the way. It's a manageable one-day trip, perfect if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
133.8 miles from Huntsville, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 27m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 166.8 mi | 3h 2m |
| Troy Highway | 34.7 mi | 41m |
| Elba Highway | 27.4 mi | 46m |
| I 565 | 18.9 mi | 20m |
| US 231 | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| I 85 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| McGehee Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Zelda Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 166.8 mi, about 3h 2m
Traffic on I-565
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 75 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,144 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~205 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Huntsville, AL and Elba, AL.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
4 ft
·
3 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn right onto West Side Square
376 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Side Square
3
Continue on South Side Square
369 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Side Square
4
Turn left onto East Side Square
371 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Side Square
5
Continue on Washington Street Southeast
364 ft
·
9 sec
·
Washington Street Southeast
6
Continue on Washington Street Northeast
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Washington Street Northeast
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
8
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 1
Toward I 65: Birmingham, Nashville
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1
Toward I 65 South: Birmingham
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 65
74 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 265
Toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 22 West: Memphis
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Toward Montgomery
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 65
93 mi
·
1 hr 43 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
393 ft
·
9 sec
Exit 171
Toward I-85 North: Atlanta
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 85 North: Atlanta
18
Continue on I 85
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 85
Use the straight lane.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 3
Toward Ann Street
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn right onto Ann Street
436 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ann Street
21
Keep slight left at fork onto Zelda Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Zelda Road
22
Continue on Carter Hill Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Carter Hill Road
23
Turn left onto McGehee Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
McGehee Road
24
Continue on US 82; US 231
35 mi
·
41 min
·
Troy Highway
Use the straight lane.
25
Continue on US 231
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
US 231
Use the right lane.
26
Continue on US 231; AL 10
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 231; AL 10
27
Continue on US 231; AL 10
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
28
Take the exit
349 ft
·
10 sec
29
Turn slight right onto AL 87; AL 167
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Elba Highway
Use the straight lane.
30
Turn right onto AL 87
20 mi
·
34 min
·
Elba Highway
31
Continue on North Troy Road
365 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Troy Road
32
Continue on Neil Grantham Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Neil Grantham Drive
33
Turn straight onto Claxton Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Claxton Avenue
34
Turn right onto Simmons Street
235 ft
·
10 sec
·
Simmons Street
35
Arrive at destination
Simmons Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour drive time, leaving Huntsville in the morning should allow you to reach Elba with plenty of daylight to spare. The single recommended stop suggests you can cover most of the 267.6 miles in one go if you prefer. Keep an eye on your fuel as you approach the 166.8-mile mark on I 65, as services might be more spread out in certain sections. The estimated fuel cost of $43 is a helpful budget benchmark for this trip within Alabama.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 133.8 miles from Huntsville, AL, or about 2h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 166.8 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 59 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133.8 miles or 2h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elba, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Huntsville, AL 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 Huntsville, AL
This is one driving day of about 267.6 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Huntsville, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 65 for about 166.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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 59 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 133.8 miles from Huntsville, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 166.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Chilton County Rest Area (Northbound)
0.1 mi from route
Cullman County Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA Express
1.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.4 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 20.1 and 192.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
20.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 65 South: Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward I 65 South: Birmingham
8
94.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
7
95.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 22 West: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 22 West: Memphis
7
95.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Montgomery
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Montgomery
7
192.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 33m in
Take the exit toward Ann Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 3
Toward Ann Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.13 one way
$82.26 round trip
$3.90/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $45.49 | $90.98 |
| premium | $4.65 | $48.96 | $97.92 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $56.36 | $112.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.3 | 0 | $28.10 | $12.84 |
| Efficient EV | 66.9 | 0 | $23.42 | $10.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107 | 1 | $37.46 | $17.13 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Huntsville, AL
Afternoon in Huntsville on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Patchy Fog
0 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Elba, AL
Afternoon in Elba on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Patchy Fog
0 mph
3% chance
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
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
5h 21m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
Free
near mile 101.5
Park Closure: A.G Gaston Motel Closed for Construction
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend a good chunk of your time on the interstate, with 74% of the route on highways. The longest continuous stretch on I 65 is 166.8 miles, so be prepared for sustained highway driving. As you move off I 65 onto Troy Highway and then Elba Highway, the road transitions to more surface streets, likely with more local traffic and varying speed limits. Expect a noticeable change in pace as you leave the main interstate corridor.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 166.8 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Troy Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 267.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 20.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 94.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 95.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
671 ft
192 ft
Total Climb
482 ft
Total Descent
934 ft
Highest Point
671 ft
~57.4 mi in
Elevation Range
479 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Huntsville, AL and Elba, AL, road signs point toward Nashville, Fultondale and Montgomery.
Nashville
20 mi in
|
~22m
Fultondale
94.6 mi in
|
~1h 43m
Montgomery
95.6 mi in
|
~1h 44m
About the Cities
Starting in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →Founded 1805
Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles (32 km) from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.
Top landmarks
- • U.S. Space & Rocket Center — science museum in Huntsville, Alabama
- • Episcopal Church of the Nativity — church building in Alabama, United States of America
- • SA-500D — test model of the Saturn V rocket
Arriving in Elba, AL
Full guide →Founded 1851
Top landmarks
- • Coffee County Courthouse — courthouse in Elba, Alabama, United States
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 5h 21m. Total distance: 267.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 166.8 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Elba, AL 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 20.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 94.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 95.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Elba, AL before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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