Origin
Merrimack, NH
Late night in Merrimack on Sunday
Local time
12:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Merrimack, NH to Gilford, NH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
57.7 mi
93 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Merrimack, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Gilford, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
Trip Overview
This 57.7-mile drive from Merrimack, NH, to Gilford, NH, is a manageable one-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 20 minutes. You'll primarily navigate the Everett Turnpike, Styles Bridges Highway, and Daniel Webster Highway, with 37% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $9, making it an economical excursion. This route offers a mixed driving experience, suitable for a relaxed day trip within the Northeast region of New Hampshire. It's a straightforward journey that doesn't require an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Everett Turnpike | 21.4 mi | 26m |
| Styles Bridges Highway | 18 mi | 20m |
| Daniel Webster Highway | 5.4 mi | 11m |
| Laconia Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Laconia Bypass | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Gilford Avenue | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Sen Styles Bridges Highway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| South River Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Everett Turnpike
— 21.4 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Merrimack, NH and Gilford, NH.
1
Start on Loop Road
83 ft
·
5 sec
·
Loop Road
2
Turn straight onto US 3
3.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Daniel Webster Highway
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 3
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
South River Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Concord, Nashua
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto Raymond Wieczorek Drive
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Raymond Wieczorek Drive
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward Bedford, Manchester
7
Merge onto Everett Turnpike
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Everett Turnpike
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Everett Turnpike
9
Continue on I 93
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Styles Bridges Highway
10
Continue on I 93
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
·
Sen Styles Bridges Highway
11
Continue on I 93
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Styles Bridges Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 20
Toward US 3, NH 11, NH 132, NH 140: Laconia, Tilton
13
Keep slight left at fork
190 ft
·
6 sec
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto US 3; NH 11; NH 132
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Laconia Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on US 3; NH 11
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Daniel Webster Highway
16
Turn right onto Laconia Bypass
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Laconia Bypass
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Toward NH 11A: Gilford, Laconia
18
Turn right onto NH 11A
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Gilford Avenue
19
Turn right onto Belknap Mountain Road
334 ft
·
9 sec
·
Belknap Mountain Road
20
Arrive at destination
Belknap Mountain Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Merrimack, NH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 4.2 and 55.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward Concord, Nashua
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Concord, Nashua
6
4.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Bedford, Manchester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Bedford, Manchester
6
45.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 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
Exit 20
Toward US 3, NH 11, NH 132, NH 140: Laconia, Ti...
6
45.9 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
55.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward NH 11A: Gilford, Laconia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NH 11A: Gilford, Laconia
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.29 one way
$18.58 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
| premium | $4.86 | $11.05 | $22.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.74 | $25.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.50
Everett Turnpike
(11.2 mi)
$0.79
Everett Turnpike
(10.2 mi)
$0.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.08 | $3.69 |
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.
Destination
Gilford, NH
Late night in Gilford on Sunday
Local time
12:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
7 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 20m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, blending highway speeds with local road cruising. You'll experience 21.4 miles of uninterrupted driving on the Everett Turnpike, offering a taste of faster travel. As you transition to the Styles Bridges Highway and Daniel Webster Highway, the character of the road will likely shift, offering a more varied driving experience. With 37% of the drive on highways, you'll get a good balance of efficient travel and more local road exploration.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.4 mi on Everett Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 around 4.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.7 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 45.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
741 ft
142 ft
Total Climb
759 ft
Total Descent
175 ft
Highest Point
741 ft
~57.7 mi in
Elevation Range
600 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Merrimack, NH and Gilford, NH, road signs point toward Concord, Nashua, Bedford, Manchester and Tilton.
Concord
4.2 mi in
|
~9m
Nashua
4.2 mi in
|
~9m
Bedford
4.7 mi in
|
~10m
Manchester
4.7 mi in
|
~10m
Tilton
45.6 mi in
|
~1h
About the Cities
Starting in Merrimack, NH
Full guide →Merrimack is a city in the Merrimack Valley of New Hampshire.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 57.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.4 miles on Everett Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.50 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.
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: at 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 45.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gilford, NH before heading back.
How this page is built
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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