If you are planning a trip from Huntsville to Saks, expect a 99.1-mile journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 18 minutes to complete. This route keeps you within the Southeast region, transitioning through Alabama’s local landscape rather than relying on major interstates. Because the duration is relatively short, you can easily manage this as a single-day trip without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $15 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating this path requires navigating West Side Square, Madison Street, and Governors Drive Southeast, which sets a local, community-focused pace for your travels.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.5 miles from Huntsville, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Governors Drive Southeast
35.5 mi
44m
Florida Short Route
28.1 mi
40m
Chastain Boulevard East
18.8 mi
22m
West Meighan Boulevard
9 mi
15m
Gunter Avenue
2.5 mi
4m
5th Avenue Northwest
1.4 mi
3m
US 431
1.3 mi
1m
Saks Road
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Governors Drive Southeast
— 35.5 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Huntsville, AL and Saks, AL.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
4 ft·3 sec·Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn right onto West Side Square
376 ft·9 sec·West Side Square
3
Continue on Madison Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Madison Street
4
Turn left onto US 431
35 mi·44 min·Governors Drive Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 431; AL 79
2.5 mi·4 min·Gunter Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on US 431
28 mi·40 min·Florida Short Route
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn slight left onto 4th Street Northwest
0.5 mi·53 sec·4th Street Northwest
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Northwest
1.4 mi·3 min·5th Avenue Northwest
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 278; US 431
9.0 mi·15 min·West Meighan Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 431
19 mi·22 min·Chastain Boulevard East
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 431
0.4 mi·33 sec·US 431
12
Continue on US 431
0.4 mi·34 sec·US 431
13
Continue on US 431
0.5 mi·40 sec·US 431
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Saks Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Saks Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto West 44th Street
282 ft·18 sec·West 44th Street
16
Turn left onto Skyline Drive
0.2 mi·53 sec·Skyline Drive
17
Turn right onto West 42nd Street
235 ft·10 sec·West 42nd Street
18
Arrive at destination
West 42nd Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a straightforward 2-hour and 18-minute drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Aim to leave during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the local roads that make up your path. Because there are no designated stops scheduled, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave; the $15 estimated cost is a modest expense for the trip. Pay close attention to the transitions between West Side Square and Governors Drive Southeast to stay on track. Use this route's brevity to your advantage by planning your arrival in Saks for a mid-morning or early afternoon start, giving you plenty of time at your destination.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.5 miles from Huntsville, AL, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.5 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 22 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.5 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saks, 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 99.1 miles and 2h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Huntsville, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Governors Drive Southeast for about 35.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 99 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|US 431 / Governors Drive Southeast
Turn left onto US 431 / Governors Drive Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
67.4 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|5th Avenue Northwest
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
97.9 mi into trip|~2h 15m in|Saks Road
Turn right onto Saks Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
98.8 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|Skyline Drive
Turn left onto Skyline Drive
Navigation decision point
5
99 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|West 42nd Street
Turn right onto West 42nd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.97 one way
$29.93 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$16.43
$32.86
premium
$4.56
$17.79
$35.57
diesel
$5.61
$21.88
$43.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.7
0
$10.41
$4.76
Efficient EV
24.8
0
$8.67
$3.96
EV Truck/SUV
39.6
0
$13.87
$6.34
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026
Origin
Huntsville, AL
Afternoon
in Huntsville on Sunday
Local time
4:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Saks, AL
Afternoon
in Saks on Sunday
Local time
4:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
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
15 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
2h 18m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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.
Freedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
In 1961, a small interracial band of “Freedom Riders” challenged discriminatory laws requiring separation of the races in interstate travel. They were attacked by white segregationists, who firebombed...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 99.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate a series of surface streets that demand your full attention, making the experience feel more like a localized transit than a high-speed cruise. Because the roads are primarily local, you won't encounter long, uninterrupted stretches of highway driving. Instead, the character of the journey remains consistent and technical throughout the 99.1 miles. Prepare for frequent adjustments behind the wheel as you navigate the specific turn-heavy segments that define this connection between Huntsville and Saks.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.5 mi on Governors Drive Southeast.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 around 0.8 miles in near US 431 / Governors Drive Southeast.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 18m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 431 / Governors Drive Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.4 miles (5th Avenue Northwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 97.9 miles (Saks Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.5 miles on Governors Drive Southeast. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 431 / Governors Drive Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.4 miles (5th Avenue Northwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 97.9 miles (Saks Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Freedom Riders 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 Saks, AL before heading back.
