Point Clear to Dothan is 201.2 miles and takes about 4h via I 10, US 231, and Glenwood Avenue, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Alabama, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. It's a straightforward, mostly highway trip that should be manageable for a single day of driving. Expect a familiar driving experience as you traverse these well-traveled roads. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to get from the coast towards the interior of Alabama.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
100.6 miles from Point Clear, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
146.6 mi
2h 37m
US 231
17.4 mi
21m
Glenwood Avenue
14.5 mi
20m
AL 181
12.9 mi
17m
County Road 32
3.9 mi
9m
Main Street
3.2 mi
6m
South Saint Andrews Street
1.8 mi
4m
Scenic Highway 98
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 146.6 mi, about 2h 37m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 44 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,710 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,070
Quietest
2 AM
~155 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 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 Point Clear, AL and Dothan, AL.
1
Start on CR 98
0.1 mi·17 sec·Scenic Highway 98
2
Turn left onto CR 32
2.9 mi·7 min·County Road 32
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 32
136 ft·3 sec·County Road 32
4
Continue on CR 32
1.0 mi·2 min·County Road 32
5
Turn left onto AL 181
4.9 mi·6 min·AL 181
6
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·11 sec·this road
7
Continue on AL 181
7.9 mi·11 min·AL 181
8
Continue on AL 181
471 ft·8 sec·AL 181
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
10
Merge onto I 10
147 mi·2 hr 37 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward FL 77: Chipley, Panama City
12
Turn left onto FL 77
3.2 mi·6 min·Main Street
13
Turn right onto FL 273
15 mi·20 min·Glenwood Avenue
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 231
400 ft·7 sec·US 231
15
Continue on US 231
13 mi·15 min·US 231
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on US 231
4.1 mi·5 min·US 231
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn slight right onto South Saint Andrews Street
1.8 mi·4 min·South Saint Andrews Street
18
Turn right onto US 84 Business; AL 52
111 ft·3 sec·East Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
US 84 Business; AL 52
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour duration, leaving Point Clear in the morning should allow ample time to reach Dothan before evening. With only one recommended stop, you can be flexible with your timing; perhaps plan a break around the halfway point or just before the transition from I 10 to US 231. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 146.6-mile stretch on I 10, as services might be spaced out. The estimated $32 fuel cost is a good benchmark for budgeting. Since this is a single-day drive, you have the advantage of not needing to book overnight accommodations.
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 100.6 miles from Point Clear, AL, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 146.6 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 44 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.6 miles or 1h 58m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dothan, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Point Clear, AL 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 Point Clear, AL
This is one driving day of about 201.2 miles and 4h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Point Clear, AL.
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 I 10 for about 146.6 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 167.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3 mi into trip|~7m in|CR 32 / County Road 32
Enter roundabout onto CR 32 / County Road 32
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
4.1 mi into trip|~9m in|AL 181
Turn left onto AL 181
Navigation decision point
5
17.3 mi into trip|~28m in|I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
163.9 mi into trip|~3h 6m in
Take the exit toward FL 77: Chipley, Panama City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward FL 77: Chipley, Panama City
4
167.5 mi into trip|~3h 13m in|FL 273 / Glenwood Avenue
Turn right onto FL 273 / Glenwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.93 one way
$55.86 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$31.25
$62.50
premium
$4.29
$33.97
$67.95
diesel
$4.80
$37.99
$75.98
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.4
0
$21.13
$9.66
Efficient EV
50.3
0
$17.61
$8.05
EV Truck/SUV
80.5
1
$28.17
$12.88
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Point Clear, AL
Late night
in Point Clear on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
92°F
Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 5 to 10 mph34% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Dothan, AL
Late night
in Dothan on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NNW 5 mph54% 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
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
4h on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is predominantly highway driving, with 88% of the route on major roads. You'll encounter a long stretch of 146.6 miles on I 10 before transitioning to US 231 and then Glenwood Avenue. Expect a more suburban feel as you approach Dothan, with increased exit activity. The shift from interstate cruising to surface streets will be noticeable as you get closer to your destination.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 146.6 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and US 231. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near CR 32 / County Road 32.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (CR 32 / County Road 32): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.1 miles (AL 181): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
321 ft0 ft
Total Climb
691 ft
Total Descent
379 ft
Highest Point
321 ft
~187.6 mi in
Elevation Range
321 ft
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 Point Clear, AL to Dothan, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Panama City along the way.
Dothan is a city in southeastern Alabama, serving as the county seat of Houston County, and the chief city of the western Wiregrass region, an area encompassing portions of southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Its population in 2018 was about 68,000, making it the largest metropolitan area in southeastern Alabama.
The longest stretch is about 146.6 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 17 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (CR 32 / County Road 32): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.1 miles (AL 181): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Dothan, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
