Origin
Huntsville, AL
Morning in Huntsville on Tuesday
Local time
8:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Huntsville, AL to Rainbow, AL
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
16m
Distance
9.9 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Rainbow, AL
Kristina Kutleša
Trip Overview
Embarking from Huntsville, Alabama, to Rainbow, Alabama, this short 9.9-mile journey is a quick 16-minute drive. Designed as a single-day trip, it requires no overnight stays and comes with an estimated fuel cost of just $2. The route predominantly sticks to local roads, offering a straightforward experience within the Southeast region. With no designated stops, this drive is best suited for those looking for a brief excursion or a simple point-to-point transit. The overall feel is that of a local commute rather than an epic road trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University Drive Northwest | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| US 72 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Washington Street Northeast | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Pratt Avenue Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Rainbow Circle | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Side Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Side Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Side Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
University Drive Northwest
— 7.6 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Huntsville, AL and Rainbow, 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
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Street Northeast
7
Turn left onto Pratt Avenue Northeast
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Pratt Avenue Northeast
8
Continue on University Drive Northwest
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
University Drive Northwest
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 72
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 72
10
Turn left onto Rainbow Circle
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Rainbow Circle
11
Turn left onto Forrest Drive
116 ft
·
5 sec
·
Forrest Drive
12
Arrive at destination
Forrest Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Side Square
Turn right onto West Side Square
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Side Square
Continue onto South Side Square
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Side Square
Turn left onto East Side Square
Navigation decision point
3
9.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
Rainbow Circle
Turn left onto Rainbow Circle
Navigation decision point
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Forrest Drive
Turn left onto Forrest Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.50 one way
$2.99 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.64 | $3.28 |
| premium | $4.56 | $1.78 | $3.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.19 | $4.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Rainbow, AL
Morning in Rainbow on Tuesday
Local time
8:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
1 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
16m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting frequent navigation changes rather than continuous highway cruising. With only a 9% highway share, you'll spend most of your time on city streets and local thoroughfares like University Drive Northwest, US 72, and Washington Street Northeast. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles on University Drive Northwest. Expect a driving experience that requires your constant attention to road signs and turns, typical of navigating through populated areas.
Only 9% 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: 7.6 mi on University Drive Northwest.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Side Square.
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 16m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Side Square): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →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.
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 16m. Total distance: 9.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.6 miles on University Drive Northwest. 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: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Side Square): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rainbow, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Rainbow, AL
Explore more options from Huntsville, AL or browse trips ending in Rainbow, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.