If you are planning a trip from Old Forge to Scranton, expect a journey covering 182.9 miles that takes approximately 3 hours and 52 minutes to complete. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. Budgeting about $30 for fuel should keep you covered for the duration of the trip. You will navigate through the Northeast region of Pennsylvania using a combination of the American Legion Memorial Highway, I-81, and Black Gap Road. It is a straightforward drive that works well for those looking to reach their destination efficiently without unnecessary complexity.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
91.4 miles from Old Forge, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
American Legion Memorial Highway
117.9 mi
2h 19m
I 81
44.2 mi
53m
Black Gap Road
5.1 mi
9m
Rocky Mountain Road
4.2 mi
7m
Old Forge Road
4.1 mi
9m
Lincoln Way East
2.2 mi
3m
South Mountain Road
1.8 mi
4m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
American Legion Memorial Highway
— 117.9 mi, about 2h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Old Forge, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Old Forge Road
4.1 mi·9 min·Old Forge Road
2
Turn left onto South Mountain Road
1.8 mi·4 min·South Mountain Road
3
Turn right onto PA 233
4.2 mi·7 min·Rocky Mountain Road
4
Turn left onto US 30
2.2 mi·3 min·Lincoln Way East
5
Turn right onto PA 997
5.1 mi·9 min·Black Gap Road
6
Turn right onto PA 696
0.2 mi·27 sec·Olde Scotland Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
8
Merge onto I 81
44 mi·53 min·I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·14 sec
Toward US 11, US 15: Enola, Marysville
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·28 sec
Toward US 11 North, US 15 North: Marysville
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·32 sec
12
Merge onto I 81
0.7 mi·1 min·George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 81
3.4 mi·4 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
115 mi·2 hr 15 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
16
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
17
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable day trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though planning for one planned stop will help you break up the nearly four-hour duration. Because the route relies heavily on local roads rather than high-speed interstates, it is wise to keep a steady pace and account for the extra time needed to navigate turns. Make sure your fuel levels are sufficient before hitting the road, as the $30 estimate is a baseline for the 182.9-mile distance. A helpful tip for this specific route is to prioritize your focus during the local road segments, as the shift from the long American Legion Memorial Highway stretch can be abrupt. Keep an eye on your navigation to ensure you remain on track during the more technical portions of the journey.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 91.4 miles from Old Forge, PA, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 40 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.4 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Old Forge, PA 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Old Forge, PA
This is one driving day of about 182.9 miles and 3h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Old Forge, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on American Legion Memorial Highway for about 117.9 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 17.6 and 182.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
17.6 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
17.8 mi into trip|~34m in|I 81
Merge onto I 81
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
62.1 mi into trip|~1h 28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 11 North, US 15 North: Marysville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 11 North, US 15 North: Marysville
6
67.1 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
182.7 mi into trip|~3h 52m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.32 one way
$60.65 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg64 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$33.21
$66.42
premium
$4.93
$35.47
$70.94
diesel
$5.61
$40.38
$80.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.9
0
$19.20
$8.78
Efficient EV
45.7
0
$16.00
$7.32
EV Truck/SUV
73.2
0
$25.61
$11.71
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Old Forge, PA
Morning
in Old Forge on Tuesday
Local time
6:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Tuesday
Local time
6:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 3 to 14 mph3% chanceLive forecast
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.
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
12 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
3h 52m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 88.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mix of road types, as this journey is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive. Only 24% of your total mileage is spent on highways, meaning you will spend the majority of your time on local roads requiring your full attention. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the American Legion Memorial Highway, which spans 117.9 miles of the trip. The transition from these longer highway segments into more technical local driving requires you to stay alert behind the wheel. Because of the frequent turns, you should prepare for a driving experience that feels more involved and less like a standard interstate cruise.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 117.9 mi on American Legion Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.6 miles in.
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 182.9 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 17.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 17.8 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 62.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Old Forge, PA to City of Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Marysville along the way.
Marysville
62 mi in|~1h 27m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 52m. Total distance: 182.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 117.9 miles on American Legion Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 City of Scranton, PA 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 17.8 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 62.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at City of Scranton, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
