Origin
Palmer, AK
Evening in Palmer on Saturday
Local time
6:45 PM
AKDT
Current temp
24°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmer, AK to Wasilla, AK
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
11.3 mi
18 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmer, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Wasilla, AK
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Palmer and Wasilla is a short, efficient 13.4-mile trip that typically takes about 17 minutes to complete. Because of the limited distance, you can easily handle this as a quick one-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize West Evergreen Avenue and the East Palmer-Wasilla Highway to navigate between these two Alaskan communities. With fuel costs estimated at around $3 for the journey, it is a very budget-friendly transit. This route functions perfectly for locals or travelers moving between these neighboring towns in the Mat-Su Borough, offering a straightforward connection that requires minimal logistical planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Palmer-Wasilla Highway | 9.5 mi | 15m |
| East Parks Highway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East Palmer Wasilla Highway | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Evergreen Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | — |
| South Colony Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
— 9.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, AK and Wasilla, 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
Continue on East Palmer Wasilla Highway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palmer Wasilla Highway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn straight onto East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
9.5 mi
·
15 min
·
East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto AK 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Parks Highway
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto Main Street
26 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
7
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.3 — 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.
3
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
Turn straight onto East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
10.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
AK 3 / East Parks Highway
Turn right onto AK 3 / East Parks Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
11.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.45 one way
$4.90 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $2.58 | $5.15 |
| premium | $5.98 | $2.66 | $5.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.49 | $4.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.19 | $0.54 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.99 | $0.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Wasilla, AK
Evening in Wasilla on Saturday
Local time
6:45 PM
AKDT
Current temp
44°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
20 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
18m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route consists entirely of local roads with zero percent highway share. Navigating the East Palmer-Wasilla Highway requires your full attention due to the frequent turns and the nature of local traffic. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, so be prepared for a drive that demands consistent engagement with the road. The transition between the two towns is seamless, but the lack of highway miles means your speed will remain moderate throughout the 17-minute duration. It is a functional, no-frills connection that keeps you moving through the heart of the region.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.5 mi on East Palmer-Wasilla Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Evergreen Avenue.
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 18m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Evergreen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (East Palmer-Wasilla Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles (AK 3 / East Parks Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
376 ft
244 ft
Total Climb
132 ft
Total Descent
32 ft
Highest Point
376 ft
~2.4 mi in
Elevation Range
132 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 11.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.5 miles on East Palmer-Wasilla 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 0.7 miles (East Palmer-Wasilla Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles (AK 3 / East Parks Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wasilla, AK 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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