Keene to Salisbury is 57 miles and takes about 1 hour 33 minutes via Franklin Pierce Highway and Route 9, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a mix of road types, making it a straightforward, relatively short excursion. It's a good option for a quick change of scenery or a connection between two points without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
28.5 miles from Keene, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Franklin Pierce Highway
15.5 mi
21m
Route 9
11.8 mi
16m
Battle Street
7.6 mi
15m
Keene Road
5.7 mi
8m
Maple Street
3.5 mi
7m
I 89
3.1 mi
3m
South Road
2.6 mi
6m
West Main Street
1.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Franklin Pierce Highway
— 15.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Keene, NH and Salisbury, NH.
1
Start on Roxbury Street
33 ft·3 sec·Roxbury Street
2
Turn right onto Central Square
147 ft·3 sec·Central Square
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Keep slight right at fork onto Washington Street
1.6 mi·4 min·Washington Street
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·12 sec
5
Merge onto NH 9; NH 10
3.3 mi·4 min·Route 9
6
Continue on NH 9
1.5 mi·2 min·NH Route 9
7
Continue on NH 9
1.8 mi·2 min·Route 9
8
Continue on NH 9
3.3 mi·4 min·Franklin Pierce Highway
9
Continue on NH 9
6.7 mi·9 min·Route 9
10
Continue on NH 9
5.7 mi·8 min·Keene Road
11
Continue on NH 9; NH 31
1.9 mi·2 min·West Main Street
12
Turn straight onto NH 9
12 mi·16 min·Franklin Pierce Highway
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto NH 127
0.7 mi·1 min·Maple Street
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on NH 127
0.4 mi·56 sec·Maple Street
15
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 127
2.4 mi·4 min·Maple Street
16
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Merge onto I 89
3.1 mi·3 min·I 89
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 7Toward NH 103: Davisville
19
Turn right onto NH 103
0.8 mi·1 min·State Route 103
20
Turn sharp left onto NH 127
0.6 mi·1 min·State Route 127
21
Continue on NH 127
7.6 mi·15 min·Battle Street
22
Continue on NH 127
2.6 mi·6 min·South Road
23
Turn left
216 ft·15 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the short 1 hour 33 minute duration, you have a lot of flexibility with when you start. Leaving Keene in the morning allows for a full day at your destination in Salisbury, or you could make it a late afternoon excursion. With only 57 miles, you can easily complete this drive without needing to stop for fuel, but it's always wise to start with a full tank. Consider a brief stop around the halfway point if you feel the need to stretch your legs, though no specific rest areas are noted on this route.
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 28.5 miles from Keene, NH, or about 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.5 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 13 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 28.5 miles or 42m 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 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salisbury, 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 57 miles and 1h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 13 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 15.5 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 46.1 — 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
38.1 mi into trip|~56m in|NH 127 / Maple Street
Turn left onto NH 127 / Maple Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
41.6 mi into trip|~1h 3m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
45 mi into trip|~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward NH 103: Davisville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 7
Toward NH 103: Davisville
5
46.1 mi into trip|~1h 9m in|NH 127 / State Route 127
Turn sharp left onto NH 127 / State Route 127
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.08 one way
$20.15 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg20 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$11.04
$22.07
premium
$5.29
$11.87
$23.74
diesel
$5.35
$12.01
$24.01
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
17.1
0
$5.99
$2.74
Efficient EV
14.3
0
$4.99
$2.28
EV Truck/SUV
22.8
0
$7.98
$3.65
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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 May 20, 2026
Origin
Keene, NH
Evening
in Keene on Wednesday
Local time
5:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
S 0 to 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Salisbury, NH
Evening
in Salisbury on Wednesday
Local time
5:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
1h 33m 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 57-mile drive features a 31% highway share. You'll experience about 17.7 miles on highways before transitioning to surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 15.5 miles on Franklin Pierce Highway. The transition from highway to surface roads will likely involve a noticeable change in speed limits and traffic patterns.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.5 mi on Franklin Pierce Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57 miles you will encounter 12 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 38.1 miles (NH 127 / Maple Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 41.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 33m. Total distance: 57 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.5 miles on Franklin Pierce Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Salisbury, 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 38.1 miles (NH 127 / Maple Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 41.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salisbury, NH before heading back.
