This 220.2-mile drive from Jacksonville, AL to Dothan, AL is best tackled in a single day, taking approximately 4 hours and 39 minutes. You'll primarily be on AL 21 and US 231, with a significant portion on Troy Highway, making for a highway-focused experience. With a fuel cost estimated at $33, this trip is budget-friendly. The route stays within the Southeast region, connecting two points in Alabama. It's a straightforward journey perfect for a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your departure time and stops.
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
110.1 miles from Jacksonville, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 16m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
AL 21
99.1 mi
1h 56m
US 231
69.5 mi
1h 33m
Troy Highway
34.7 mi
41m
McClellan Boulevard
7 mi
10m
Public Square West
3.9 mi
5m
Quintard Avenue
3.9 mi
7m
Quintard Drive
1.4 mi
2m
North Saint Andrews Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
AL 21
— 99.1 mi, about 1h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, AL and Dothan, AL.
1
Start on AL 21
3.9 mi·5 min·Public Square West
2
Continue on AL 21
7.0 mi·10 min·McClellan Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Continue on AL 21
3.9 mi·7 min·Quintard Avenue
4
Continue on AL 21
1.4 mi·2 min·Quintard Drive
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on AL 21
392 ft·8 sec·AL 21
6
Continue on AL 21
1.3 mi·1 min·AL 21
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Continue on AL 21
98 mi·1 hr 54 min·AL 21
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto US 231; AL 21
7.6 mi·11 min·US 231; AL 21
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto US 82; US 231
35 mi·41 min·Troy Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 231
7.7 mi·9 min·US 231
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 231; AL 10
0.1 mi·9 sec·US 231; AL 10
12
Continue on US 231; AL 10
2.0 mi·3 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on US 231; AL 10
7.6 mi·10 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on US 231; AL 10
38 mi·47 min·US 231; AL 10
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on US 231
6.2 mi·11 min·US 231
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn left onto West Powell Street
0.1 mi·23 sec·West Powell Street
17
Turn right onto North Saint Andrews Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Saint Andrews Street
18
Turn left onto US 84 Business; AL 52
111 ft·3 sec·East Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
US 84 Business; AL 52
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour, 39-minute duration, starting your drive in the morning from Jacksonville, AL, is recommended to maximize daylight and allow for a relaxed arrival in Dothan. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility to take breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 99.1-mile stretch on AL 21, as services might be less frequent. This drive is manageable within a single day, so plan your departure to suit your schedule.
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 110.1 miles from Jacksonville, AL, or about 2h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.1 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 48 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.1 miles or 2h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dothan, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, AL
This is one driving day of about 220.2 miles and 4h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Jacksonville, 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 AL 21 for about 99.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway reset
3.2 mi from route
~8 min detour
$10 to $20
Montgomery, Alabama
Hours: 7 am–3 pm
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 115.3 and 220.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
115.3 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|US 231; AL 21
Turn left onto US 231; AL 21
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
122.9 mi into trip|~2h 34m in|US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Turn left onto US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
219.6 mi into trip|~4h 37m in|West Powell Street
Turn left onto West Powell Street
Navigation decision point
3
219.7 mi into trip|~4h 38m in|North Saint Andrews Street
Turn right onto North Saint Andrews Street
Navigation decision point
3
220.2 mi into trip|~4h 39m in|US 84 Business; AL 52 / East Main Street
Turn left onto US 84 Business; AL 52 / East Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.26 one way
$66.51 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$36.51
$73.01
premium
$4.56
$39.52
$79.05
diesel
$5.61
$48.62
$97.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.1
0
$23.12
$10.57
Efficient EV
55.1
0
$19.27
$8.81
EV Truck/SUV
88.1
1
$30.83
$14.09
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Jacksonville, AL
Late night
in Jacksonville on Tuesday
Local time
5:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dothan, AL
Late night
in Dothan on Tuesday
Local time
5:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
6 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
4h 39m 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.
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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 15.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 77% of the journey utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch spans 99.1 miles on AL 21, offering a consistent pace. As you transition through different sections, including parts of US 231 and Troy Highway, the road character remains largely consistent with its highway profile. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic detours, allowing you to cover ground steadily.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.1 mi on AL 21.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on AL 21 and US 231. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 115.3 miles in near US 231; AL 21.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 39m 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: at 115.3 miles (US 231; AL 21): Lane positioning matters here; at 122.9 miles (US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 219.6 miles (West Powell Street): Navigation decision point.
Dothan is a city in southeastern Alabama, serving as the county seat of Houston County, and the chief city of the western Wiregrass region, an area encompassing portions of southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Its population in 2018 was about 68,000, making it the largest metropolitan area in southeastern Alabama.
The longest stretch is about 99.1 miles on AL 21. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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.
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 115.3 miles (US 231; AL 21): Lane positioning matters here; at 122.9 miles (US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 219.6 miles (West Powell Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Freedom Riders National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Dothan, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
