Origin
Montpelier, VT
Late night in Montpelier on Saturday
Local time
1:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montpelier, VT to South Hero, VT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montpelier, VT
Wikimedia Commons
South Hero, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Montpelier to South Hero is 55.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 9 minutes via I-89 and US-2, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within Vermont, moving from the state's capital region to the islands of Lake Champlain. The route is predominantly highway, making it a straightforward drive for a quick getaway or a connection to other destinations in the Northeast. Given its brevity, it’s an easy addition to a longer itinerary or a perfect standalone excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 89 | 44.8 mi | 52m |
| U.S. Route 2 | 8.5 mi | 13m |
| Memorial Drive | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 44.8 mi, about 52m
Traffic on I-89
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,624 veh/hr typical · worst 2,016
Quietest
2 AM
~62 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
26.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 75 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 Montpelier, VT and South Hero, VT.
1
Start on VT 12; US 2 Business
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto US 2
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Drive
3
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
4
Merge onto I 89
45 mi
·
52 min
·
I 89
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 17
Toward US 2, US 7: Lake Champlain Islands, Colchester
6
Keep slight right at fork
265 ft
·
6 sec
7
Turn right onto US 2
8.5 mi
·
13 min
·
U.S. Route 2
8
Turn left onto South Street
166 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Street
9
Arrive at destination
South Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Montpelier, VT, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 46.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 2 / Memorial Drive
Turn right onto US 2 / Memorial Drive
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
3
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 89
Merge onto I 89
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
46.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward US 2, US 7: Lake Champlain Islands, Colchester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 17
Toward US 2, US 7: Lake Champlain Islands, Colc...
5
46.6 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.18 one way
$18.36 round trip
$4.23/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $10.18 | $20.37 |
| premium | $5.07 | $10.99 | $21.98 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.15 | $24.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
South Hero, VT
Late night in South Hero on Saturday
Local time
1:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Williston, VT
28 mi in
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
3 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 9m 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?
This route is mostly highway, with 97% of the drive on high-speed roads like I-89. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 44.8 miles on I-89 before transitioning to surface roads. The majority of your time will be spent on the interstate, offering a consistent cruising experience with relatively few exits for a significant portion of the trip. The final segment on U.S. Route 2 will feel more like typical surface road driving.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.8 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and U.S. Route 2. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 2 / Memorial Drive.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 9m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 2 / Memorial Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.5 miles (I 89): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
543 ft
103 ft
Total Climb
242 ft
Total Descent
613 ft
Highest Point
543 ft
~7.9 mi in
Elevation Range
441 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.
On the drive from Montpelier, VT to South Hero, VT, road signs begin pointing toward Colchester along the way.
Colchester
46.3 mi in
|
~55m
About the Cities
Starting in Montpelier, VT
Full guide →Founded 1787
Montpelier is the capital city of Vermont, the smallest state capital in the United States with a population of 8,074 as of the 2020 census.
Top landmarks
- • Vermont State House — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Vermont
- • Athenwood and the Thomas W. Wood Studio — historic house in Vermont, United States
- • Montpelier Historic District — historic district in Vermont, USA
Arriving in South Hero, VT
Full guide →South Hero is a small town off the coast of Lake Champlain in Vermont. It is the southernmost town among the Lake Champlain Islands.
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 9m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.8 miles on I 89. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 VT 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 0.2 miles (US 2 / Memorial Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.5 miles (I 89): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Hero, VT 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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