Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
26.5 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Manchester, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Contoocook, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
The drive from Manchester, NH to Contoocook, NH covers 26.5 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Everett Turnpike, I 89, Maple Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.1 miles on Everett Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Everett Turnpike | 12.1 mi | 14m |
| I 89 | 10.3 mi | 12m |
| Maple Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Elm Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Bridge Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Salmon Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Amoskeag Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Amoskeag Bridge | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,606 veh/hr typical · worst 5,330
Quietest
2 AM
~145 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
31.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 101 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Manchester, NH and Contoocook, NH.
Start on Bridge Street
Turn right onto US 3
Turn left onto West Salmon Street
Continue on Amoskeag Bridge
Continue on Amoskeag Street
Enter roundabout
Continue
Merge onto I 293; NH 3A
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 89
Take the exit
Turn right onto NH 127
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 25 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West Salmon Street
Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Take the exit toward I 89 North: Lebanon, White River Junction Vermont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 89 North: Lebanon, White River Junction Vermont
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NH 127: Contoocook, West Hopkinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.41 one way
$8.83 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $4.90 | $9.80 |
| premium | $5.07 | $5.29 | $10.57 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $5.84 | $11.68 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.85
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Manchester on Monday
Local time
9:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Clear
Destination
Night in Contoocook on Monday
Local time
9:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
26.5 mi in 36m, mostly highway — 12.1 mi of that is on Everett Turnpike.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Everett Turnpike and I 89. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near West Salmon Street.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 26.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (West Salmon Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
497 ft
Total Descent
387 ft
Highest Point
547 ft
~22.7 mi in
Elevation Range
354 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Manchester, NH and Contoocook, NH, road signs point toward White River Junction Vermont and Hopkinton.
White River Junction Vermont
Hopkinton
Founded 1722
Manchester is in New Hampshire, USA. The state's largest city has enjoyed a renaissance over the past several years. Once home to the largest textiles facility in the world, the area has a vibrant and largely service-oriented economy. It is home to several educational institutions, including Southern New Hampshire University and St. Anselm College. In 2020, it was home to 116,000 people.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 26.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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