Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester, NH
Wikimedia Commons
Sanbornton, NH
Mohan Nannapaneni
The drive from Rochester, NH to Sanbornton, NH covers 40.9 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on New Hampshire Route 140, Henry Wilson Highway, NH Route 11 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10 miles on New Hampshire Route 140. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.81 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire Route 140 | 10 mi | 17m |
| Henry Wilson Highway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NH Route 11 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Frank C. Gilman Highway | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Depot Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Sanborn Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Farmington Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Gilmanton Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester, NH and Sanbornton, NH.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Hanson Street
At end of road, turn right onto NH 202A
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 202A
Turn right onto NH 202A
Enter roundabout onto North Main Street
Continue on North Main Street
Continue on Farmington Road
Continue on NH 11
Continue on NH 11
Enter roundabout onto NH 11; NH 28A
Continue on NH 11; NH 28A
Turn left onto NH 140
Continue on Frank C. Gilman Highway
Continue on NH 140
Continue on NH 140
Continue on NH 140
Continue on NH 140
Turn right onto NH 140
Continue on NH 140
Turn right onto US 3; NH 11; NH 132
Turn left onto NH 132
Turn sharp right onto Perkins Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.5 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 0.1 and 40.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto NH 202A / Wakefield Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Keep slight left at fork onto NH 202A
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn right onto NH 202A / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 3; NH 11; NH 132 / Laconia Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn sharp right onto Perkins Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Regular Gas
$6.81 one way
$13.63 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $7.56 | $15.12 |
| premium | $5.07 | $8.16 | $16.31 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.02 | $18.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Evening in Rochester on Saturday
Local time
8:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Evening in Sanbornton on Saturday
Local time
8:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
66°F
Alton, NH
20 mi in
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.
40.9 mi in 1h 12m — 42% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: New Hampshire Route 140.
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 around 0.1 miles in near NH 202A / Wakefield Street.
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 40.9 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: at 0.1 miles (NH 202A / Wakefield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (NH 202A): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.3 miles (NH 202A / North Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,276 ft
Total Descent
714 ft
Highest Point
1,011 ft
~29.2 mi in
Elevation Range
782 ft
Founded 1770
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). 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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