Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
50.9 mi
82 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester, NH
Wikimedia Commons
East Merrimack, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
Rochester, NH to East Merrimack, NH is 50.9 miles and takes about 1h 19m via NH 101 and Calef Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire, traversing the Northeast region. It's a relatively short drive, ideal for a single day, offering a straightforward connection between two points. You'll experience a mix of travel styles, so keep that in mind as you plan your departure.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NH 101 | 22.8 mi | 27m |
| Calef Highway | 17.3 mi | 27m |
| Charles Bancroft Highway | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Brown Avenue | 2.5 mi | 6m |
| Gonic Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Columbus Avenue | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| Hazelton Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Naticook Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester, NH and East Merrimack, NH.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Museum Way
Turn right onto NH 125
Continue on NH 125
Continue on NH 125
Enter roundabout onto NH 125
Continue on NH 125
Take the exit
Merge onto NH 101
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101
Take the exit
Turn left onto NH 3A
Continue on NH 3A
Continue on NH 3A
Continue on NH 3A
Continue on NH 3A
Turn right onto Naticook Avenue
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25.4 miles from Rochester, NH, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Museum Way
Navigation decision point
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto NH 101
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101 toward I 293 North, NH 101 West: Manchester Airport, Manchester, Bedford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NH 3A
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Regular Gas
$9.00 one way
$18.00 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $9.86 | $19.71 |
| premium | $5.29 | $10.60 | $21.20 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $10.72 | $21.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.34 | $2.44 |
| Efficient EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Rochester on Wednesday
Local time
3:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in East Merrimack on Wednesday
Local time
3:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
About 45% of this 50.9-mile route is highway driving. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 22.8 miles on NH 101. After that, you'll transition to surface roads like Calef Highway and Charles Bancroft Highway. Expect a mix of faster highway cruising and more local road conditions as you get closer to East Merrimack.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Museum Way.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Museum Way): Navigation decision point; at 20.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.3 miles (NH 101): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
381 ft
Total Descent
483 ft
Highest Point
471 ft
~32.7 mi in
Elevation Range
344 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rochester, NH and East Merrimack, NH, road signs point toward Manchester and Bedford.
Manchester
Bedford
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
Cafe
Near the end, short detour
Bedford, NH
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, short detour
Manchester, NH
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, short detour
Merrimack, NH
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Th 05:30-20:00; Fr 05:30-20:30; Sa 06...
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Rochester, NH
Cuisine: sandwich
Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-17:00; Su 11...
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, short detour
Bedford, NH
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, short detour
Manchester, NH
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Fr 05:00-19:00; Sa-Su 05:00-18:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, short detour
Manchester, NH
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: 04:00-21:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, short detour
Manchester, NH
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Fr 05:00-20:00; Sa 06:00-19:00; Su 07...
Visit websiteAttraction
Early in the drive, short detour
Attraction
Early in the drive, short detour
Park
Near the end, short detour
Viewpoint
Early in the drive, short detour
Artwork
Near the end, right off the route
Monument
Later in the drive, short detour
Yes
Later in the drive, short detour
Memorial
Near the end, short detour
Monument
Later in the drive, short detour
Monument
Near the start, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 50.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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