Origin
Muscle Shoals, AL
Morning in Muscle Shoals on Sunday
Local time
11:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Muscle Shoals, AL to Huntsville, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
68.8 mi
111 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Muscle Shoals, AL
Tolga Ahmetler
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 68.8-mile drive from Muscle Shoals, AL, to Huntsville, AL, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 25 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll mainly navigate Joe Wheeler Highway and I-565, with Wheeler Highway also playing a role. With a fuel cost estimated at $10, this journey through the Southeast region of Alabama is budget-friendly. The mixed drive profile means you won't be stuck on one type of road for too long, offering some variety. Since there are no recommended stops, you can plan to arrive in Huntsville with plenty of time to explore.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Wheeler Highway | 20.2 mi | 24m |
| I 565 | 19.3 mi | 20m |
| Wheeler Highway | 12.7 mi | 15m |
| US 72 Alternate | 8.6 mi | 12m |
| Huntsville-Decatur Highway | 3 mi | 3m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Woodward Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| US 43 | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Joe Wheeler Highway
— 20.2 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Muscle Shoals, AL and Huntsville, AL.
1
Start on Avalon Avenue
49 ft
·
8 sec
·
Avalon Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodward Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Continue on US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Wheeler Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Wheeler Highway
Toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
20 mi
·
24 min
·
Joe Wheeler Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
8.6 mi
·
12 min
·
US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Huntsville-Decatur Highway
Toward Huntsville
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on I 565; US 72 Alternate
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
12
Continue on this road
395 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 19C
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
13
Keep slight right at fork
343 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn straight onto Jefferson Street North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Jefferson Street North
15
Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest
4 ft
·
0 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
16
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.4 miles from Muscle Shoals, AL, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 68.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20 / Woodward Avenue
Turn left onto US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20 / Woodward Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
6.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
5
43.8 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
67.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Do...
9
68.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.39 one way
$20.78 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.41 | $22.81 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.35 | $24.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.19 | $30.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.22 | $3.30 |
| Efficient EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.5 | 0 | $9.63 | $4.40 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Huntsville, AL
Morning in Huntsville on Sunday
Local time
11:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Trinity, AL
34 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
1 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
1h 25m 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, with 42% of your journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 20.2 miles on Joe Wheeler Highway, offering a good opportunity to settle into a rhythm. As you transition to I-565 and Wheeler Highway, the road character will shift, providing a varied driving experience. This blend of road types means you'll encounter both faster-paced highway sections and potentially more local road conditions as you approach your destination.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.2 mi on Joe Wheeler 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 US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20 / Woodward Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.8 miles you will encounter 9 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 (US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20 / Woodward Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.8 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Muscle Shoals, AL and Huntsville, AL, road signs point toward Decatur and Joe Wheeler State Park.
Decatur
6.7 mi in
|
~9m
|
via US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Joe Wheeler State Park
6.7 mi in
|
~9m
|
via US 72 Alternate; AL 20
About the Cities
Arriving in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles (32 km) from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.
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 25m. Total distance: 68.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.2 miles on Joe Wheeler 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 Huntsville, AL 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20 / Woodward Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.8 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Huntsville, AL 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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