Origin
Red Bay, AL
Night in Red Bay on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Red Bay, AL to Decatur, 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 27m
Distance
70.4 mi
113 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Red Bay, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Red Bay, AL to Decatur, AL is 70.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 27 minutes via Alabama Highway 24, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily on one main highway, making it an easy drive between two points in Alabama. You'll stay within the Southeast region for the entirety of this journey. Consider this route if you need a quick, uncomplicated connection between these two cities without much fuss. The drive is mostly highway, so expect a consistent pace for most of the trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama Highway 24 | 59.8 mi | 1h 10m |
| AL 24 | 7.5 mi | 9m |
| Moulton Street West | 2 mi | 4m |
| 4th Avenue Southeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Winnie Frost Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 4th Avenue Northeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Alabama Highway 24
— 59.8 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Red Bay, AL and Decatur, AL.
1
Start on 4th Street Southeast
108 ft
·
6 sec
·
4th Street Southeast
2
Turn right onto AL 19
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue Southeast
3
Continue on Winnie Frost Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winnie Frost Drive
4
Turn left onto AL 24
60 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
Alabama Highway 24
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on AL 24
7.5 mi
·
9 min
·
AL 24
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Moulton Street West
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Moulton Street West
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto 4th Avenue Northeast
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
4th Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
320 ft
·
15 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 35.2 miles from Red Bay, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 70.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
AL 19 / 4th Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto AL 19 / 4th Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
AL 24 / Alabama Highway 24
Turn left onto AL 24 / Alabama Highway 24
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
70.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
4th Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto 4th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
70.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
70.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.63 one way
$21.26 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.67 | $23.34 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.64 | $25.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.54 | $31.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.39 | $3.38 |
| Efficient EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.16 | $2.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.2 | 0 | $9.86 | $4.51 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Decatur, AL
Night in Decatur on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
1 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 27m 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?
This drive is overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 96% of the journey on paved roads designed for steady travel. You'll experience a longest stretch of 59.8 miles on Alabama Highway 24, meaning extended periods without needing to turn. The route predominantly follows AL 24 and Moulton Street West, offering a consistent driving experience for much of the 70.4 miles. Expect a practical, no-frills drive that prioritizes reaching your destination efficiently over winding scenic detours.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.8 mi on Alabama Highway 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Alabama Highway 24 and AL 24. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near AL 19 / 4th Avenue Southeast.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Red Bay, AL to Decatur, AL is easy. At 1h 27m with 96% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (AL 19 / 4th Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (AL 24 / Alabama Highway 24): Lane positioning matters here; at 70.2 miles (4th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 70.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.8 miles on Alabama Highway 24. 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (AL 19 / 4th Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (AL 24 / Alabama Highway 24): Lane positioning matters here; at 70.2 miles (4th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, 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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