Spanning 79.3 miles, the journey from Palmer to Girdwood is a manageable trek that typically takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Because of the relatively short duration, this trip works perfectly as a straightforward day excursion, leaving you plenty of time to explore your destination. You will navigate a combination of the Glenn Highway, East 5th Avenue, and the Seward Highway to complete the connection between these two Alaskan locations. Budgeting around $17 for fuel should cover your needs for the one-way transit. Since the drive is quite direct, you do not need to worry about planning for an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. It is a practical, efficient route that keeps you moving through the Alaskan landscape without requiring a major time investment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.6 miles from Palmer, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Glenn Highway
40.1 mi
48m
Seward Highway
36 mi
44m
East 5th Avenue
1.5 mi
3m
Gambell Street
1.1 mi
2m
West Evergreen Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
East Parks Highway
<0.1 mi
<1m
Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Dawson Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Glenn Highway
— 40.1 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, AK and Girdwood, AK.
1
Start on South Colony Way
12 ft·8 sec·South Colony Way
2
Turn left onto West Evergreen Avenue
0.3 mi·41 sec·West Evergreen Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto AK 1
7.0 mi·10 min·Glenn Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto AK 3
516 ft·6 sec·East Parks Highway
5
Continue on AK 1
33 mi·38 min·Glenn Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on AK 1
1.5 mi·3 min·East 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Turn left onto AK 1
1.1 mi·2 min·Gambell Street
8
Continue on AK 1
36 mi·44 min·Seward Highway
9
Turn left onto Main Street
505 ft·24 sec·Main Street
10
Turn right onto Gold Street
326 ft·19 sec·Gold Street
11
Turn left onto Dawson Street
432 ft·18 sec·Dawson Street
12
Arrive at destination
Dawson Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. Keep in mind that with 79.3 miles to cover, there are no mandatory stops required, though you should factor in the $17 fuel cost before you head out. Because the route is categorized as a turn-heavy local drive, it is wise to avoid rushing and instead focus on navigating the transitions between the Glenn Highway and the Seward Highway safely. Your best strategy is to treat the drive as a single, continuous effort rather than breaking it up, as the distance is short enough to handle in one go. Pay close attention to the signage as you move off the Glenn Highway, as the transition onto East 5th Avenue and eventually the Seward Highway is where you will experience the most technical turning.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.6 miles from Palmer, AK, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.1 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 17 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.6 miles or 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Girdwood, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palmer, AK so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palmer, AK
This is one driving day of about 79.3 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Palmer, AK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Glenn Highway for about 40.1 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 79.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Evergreen Avenue
Turn left onto West Evergreen Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Turn left onto AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
41.9 mi into trip|~52m in|AK 1 / Gambell Street
Turn left onto AK 1 / Gambell Street
Navigation decision point
5
79.1 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|Gold Street
Turn right onto Gold Street
Navigation decision point
5
79.2 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|Dawson Street
Turn left onto Dawson Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.19 one way
$34.37 round trip
$5.51/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.79
$18.07
$36.15
premium
$5.98
$18.67
$37.34
diesel
$5.61
$17.51
$35.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.8
0
$8.33
$3.81
Efficient EV
19.8
0
$6.94
$3.17
EV Truck/SUV
31.7
0
$11.10
$5.08
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Palmer, AK
Evening
in Palmer on Saturday
Local time
8:22 PM
AKDT
Current temp
24°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Girdwood, AK
Evening
in Girdwood on Saturday
Local time
8:22 PM
AKDT
Current temp
26°F
Unavailable
Live 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
2 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 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. While you will spend 40.1 miles of the trip on the Glenn Highway, the route is not a monotonous interstate grind and features no significant highway share. The road requires constant navigation as you transition between local segments and larger thoroughfares. You should anticipate a mix of driving environments that keep the experience engaging rather than repetitive. Staying alert is essential, as the technical nature of the turns requires you to remain active throughout the entire 1 hour and 40-minute duration.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40.1 mi on Glenn Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Evergreen Avenue.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Palmer, AK to Girdwood, AK is easy. At 1h 40m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Evergreen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 41.9 miles (AK 1 / Gambell Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
295 ft31 ft
Total Climb
75 ft
Total Descent
288 ft
Highest Point
295 ft
~28.3 mi in
Elevation Range
265 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 79.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 40.1 miles on Glenn Highway. 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 AK 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: near the start (West Evergreen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 41.9 miles (AK 1 / Gambell Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Girdwood, AK before heading back.
