Keene to Gilford is 83.9 miles and takes about 1h 57m via Franklin Pierce Highway and Route 9, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire, taking you from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. The route primarily uses surface roads, making it a more relaxed drive than a pure interstate experience. With a single day recommended, you can expect a straightforward trip without needing to plan for an overnight stay. It’s a good option if you're looking for a relatively short, manageable drive to get from point A to point B.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.9 miles from Keene, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Franklin Pierce Highway
19.5 mi
26m
Styles Bridges Highway
18 mi
20m
Route 9
11.8 mi
16m
I 89
8.3 mi
10m
Keene Road
5.7 mi
8m
Laconia Road
4.7 mi
8m
Laconia Bypass
2.9 mi
3m
Gilford Avenue
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Franklin Pierce Highway
— 19.5 mi, about 26m
Traffic on I-93
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 9 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,003 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,576
Quietest
1 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
31.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Keene, NH and Gilford, NH.
Given this is a drive of under two hours, you have plenty of flexibility for when to depart. Leaving Keene in the morning should put you in Gilford with ample time to spare. Since it's a shorter trip with limited highway mileage, you won't need to worry about extensive fuel stops; your estimated $15 fuel cost is quite manageable. Keep an eye on local speed limits as you transition from Franklin Pierce Highway onto Route 9, as these can change frequently and are strictly enforced. You likely won't need to plan for formal rest stops, but there will be opportunities to pull over in the towns you pass through.
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 41.9 miles from Keene, NH, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 19.5 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 18 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.9 miles or 1h 1m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gilford, NH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Keene, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Keene, NH
This is one driving day of about 83.9 miles and 1h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Keene, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Franklin Pierce Highway for about 19.5 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 72.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Central Square
Turn right onto Central Square
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
42.2 mi into trip|~1h 1m in|I 89
Merge onto I 89
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
50.5 mi into trip|~1h 12m in|NH 3A / Route 3-A
Turn left onto NH 3A / Route 3-A
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
71.8 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the exit toward US 3, NH 11, NH 132, NH 140: Laconia, Tilton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.83 one way
$29.66 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$16.24
$32.49
premium
$5.29
$17.47
$34.94
diesel
$5.35
$17.67
$35.34
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Everett Turnpike
(1.7 mi)$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.2
0
$8.81
$4.03
Efficient EV
21
0
$7.34
$3.36
EV Truck/SUV
33.6
0
$11.75
$5.37
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Keene, NH
Afternoon
in Keene on Wednesday
Local time
3:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Gilford, NH
Afternoon
in Gilford on Wednesday
Local time
3:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Clear
0 mph1% chanceLive 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
2 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
1h 57m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 83.9-mile drive is mostly surface roads, with highway driving making up only 28% of the total distance. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on Franklin Pierce Highway for about 19.5 miles. After that, expect a significant portion of your drive to be on surface roads like Route 9, which means you'll likely be navigating through towns and dealing with more varied speed limits. The transition away from highway cruising will be noticeable as you move onto these local routes.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.5 mi on Franklin Pierce Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Central Square.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 83.9 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Central Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles (I 89): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.5 miles (NH 3A / Route 3-A): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,368 ft240 ft
Total Climb
1,574 ft
Total Descent
1,315 ft
Highest Point
1,368 ft
~12 mi in
Elevation Range
1,128 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Keene, NH to Gilford, NH, road signs begin pointing toward Tilton along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 57m. Total distance: 83.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.5 miles on Franklin Pierce Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.12 in tolls one way, starting with Everett Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Gilford, NH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 NH 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Central Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles (I 89): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.5 miles (NH 3A / Route 3-A): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gilford, NH before heading back.
