Ketchikan to Willow is 1005.8 miles and takes about 50 hours via Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat, Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat, with a fuel budget near $209 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This extensive trip spans within Alaska, taking you from the coastal waters of Ketchikan to the interior near Willow. It's a long-haul drive designed for those who want to experience a significant portion of the state's diverse landscapes. Plan for multiple days to comfortably cover the distance, as this is not a route to rush. You'll want to be prepared for varying conditions and enjoy the extensive travel time.
Trip Pace
Best split across 4 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
14 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
502.9 miles from Ketchikan, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 22h 35m into the drive
.
Toward Wasilla, FairbanksUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Continue on AK 3
4.2 mi·5 min·West Parks Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
23
Continue on AK 3
17 mi·23 min·George Parks Highway
24
Turn right onto Willow Station Road
0.2 mi·49 sec·Willow Station Road
25
Turn right onto West Tuxedo Avenue
43 ft·4 sec·West Tuxedo Avenue
26
Continue on West Tuxedo Avenue
0.1 mi·34 sec·West Tuxedo Avenue
27
Turn left onto Petticoat Street
0.2 mi·48 sec·Petticoat Street
28
Arrive at destination
Petticoat Street
Trip Plan
Given the 50-hour duration, this trip is best split over at least 4 recommended days. Start your departure early in the day to maximize daylight for your ferry transfers and any surface road driving. Keep a close eye on your fuel, especially as you transition between ferry segments and any driving portions, budgeting around $209 for fuel costs. With 14 stops suggested, you have ample opportunity to break up the travel, but be sure to book ferry passages well in advance, as they are a core part of this unique Alaskan route.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 4-day trip.
Plan roughly 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 502.9 miles from Ketchikan, AK, or about 22h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 334.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 220 miles or 6h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 502.9 miles or 22h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 251.5 miles or 7h 17m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 48h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Willow, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ketchikan, AK 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 4-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ketchikan, AK
Aim for roughly 251 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 251 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 251 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Willow, AK
Aim for roughly 251 miles and 12.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 220 miles from Ketchikan, AK.
This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 14 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat for about 334.5 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 970 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|AK 7 / Water Street
At end of road, turn right onto AK 7 / Water Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
Navigation decision point
5
279.1 mi into trip|~8h 6m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
541.7 mi into trip|~25h 6m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
970 mi into trip|~49h 8m in|AK 3 / East Parks Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto AK 3 / East Parks Highway toward Wasilla, Fairbanks
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Wasilla, Fairbanks
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$225.71 one way
$451.42 round trip
$5.70/gal25.4 MPG avg352 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.03
$238.78
$477.56
premium
$6.22
$246.22
$492.45
diesel
$6.28
$248.52
$497.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$226
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$566–$846
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 351.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $106 in charging
· 3 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
301.7
3
$105.61
$48.28
Efficient EV
251.5
2
$88.01
$40.23
EV Truck/SUV
402.3
5
$140.81
$64.37
Gas CO2
352 kg
EV CO2
118 kg (66% less)
Plan for 3 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 Oct 22, 2026
Origin
Ketchikan, AK
Morning
in Ketchikan on Saturday
Local time
11:03 AM
AKDT
Current temp
49°F
Chance Rain Showers
SE 5 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Coastal Flood Warning
Coastal Flood Warning issued October 22 at 8:43AM AKDT until October 25 at 10:00PM AKDT by NWS Fairbanks AK
Blizzard Warning
Blizzard Warning issued October 22 at 6:02AM AKDT until October 24 at 10:00AM AKDT by NWS Fairbanks AK
Destination
Willow, AK
Morning
in Willow on Saturday
Local time
11:03 AM
AKDT
Current temp
34°F
Sunny
N 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Coastal Flood Warning
Coastal Flood Warning issued October 22 at 8:43AM AKDT until October 25 at 10:00PM AKDT by NWS Fairbanks AK
Blizzard Warning
Blizzard Warning issued October 22 at 6:02AM AKDT until October 24 at 10:00AM AKDT by NWS Fairbanks AK
34°F
Gateway, AK
664 mi in
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
50h on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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 route covers 1005.8 miles with a duration of 50 hours, and you'll find 0% of it on traditional highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 334.5 miles on the Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat. Expect to spend the majority of your time on ferry systems, with surface road travel making up the remainder. This means your experience will be dominated by marine travel rather than driving on paved roads.
0% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 334.5 mi on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
At 50h, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near AK 7 / Water Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 1005.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road): Navigation decision point; at 279.1 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Ketchikan is a scenic town of approximately 14,000 people (2014) along the Tongass Narrows, at the foot of Deer Mountain, on Revillagigedo Island in Southeast Alaska. It is the southernmost and fourth largest city in Alaska.
Top landmarks
•Ketchikan Federal Building
•Ketchikan Ranger House — building in Alaska, United States
•Burkhart-Dibrell House — historic house in Alaska, United States
The longest stretch is about 334.5 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 4-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 251 miles on day one.
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 Willow, AK before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 14 meaningful breaks. There are 1 rest area along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through AK 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: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road): Navigation decision point; at 279.1 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Not recommended in a single day. At 50.0 hours each way, a round trip means 100.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Willow, AK before the return drive.
