Scranton to Leesport is 95 miles and takes about 1 hour 56 minutes via American Legion Memorial Highway and Pottsville Pike, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, heading southeast from the Northeast region to the same region. You'll spend most of your time on surface roads, making it a more relaxed pace than a pure highway trip. It's a straightforward, manageable distance for a single day's travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.5 miles from Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
American Legion Memorial Highway
59.7 mi
1h 10m
Center Avenue
10.6 mi
12m
Pottsville Pike
5.5 mi
6m
Skyline Drive
4.4 mi
5m
Centre Street
4.2 mi
5m
Route 61 South
3 mi
3m
North Claude A. Lord Boulevard
1.6 mi
2m
Joseph H. Long Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
American Legion Memorial Highway
— 59.7 mi, about 1h 10m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,835 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,212
Quietest
2 AM
~188 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 101 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 Scranton, PA and Leesport, PA.
1
Start on Wyoming Avenue
0.1 mi·38 sec·Wyoming Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
0.2 mi·24 sec·Lackawanna Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 3023
0.2 mi·22 sec·Cedar Avenue
4
Continue on Cedar Avenue
400 ft·12 sec·Cedar Avenue
5
Turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi·1 min·River Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
7
Merge onto I 81
60 mi·1 hr 10 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Exit 124BToward PA 61 North: Frackville
9
Turn straight onto PA 61
500 ft·13 sec·Skyline Drive
10
Turn uturn onto PA 61
4.3 mi·5 min·Skyline Drive
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on PA 61
1.1 mi·1 min·Joseph H. Long Boulevard
12
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi·1 min·Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
13
Continue on PA 61
1.6 mi·2 min·North Claude A. Lord Boulevard
14
Continue on PA 61
0.2 mi·14 sec·Pottsville Boulevard
15
Continue on PA 61
3.0 mi·3 min·Route 61 South
16
Continue on PA 61
11 mi·12 min·Center Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on PA 61
4.2 mi·5 min·Centre Street
18
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi·17 sec·South 4th Street
19
Continue on PA 61
2.3 mi·2 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi·43 sec·Shoemaker Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on PA 61
3.2 mi·3 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi·46 sec·North Centre Avenue
23
Turn right onto Wall Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·Wall Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Arrive at destination
Wall Street
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour 56 minute duration, this route is easily completed in a single day. Leaving Scranton in the morning will give you plenty of time to reach Leesport without feeling rushed. Since it's a shorter drive with a significant portion on surface roads, you won't need to plan for extensive stops. Keep an eye on fuel, as the estimated cost is $16, and ensure you have a full tank before departing Scranton, as the longest stretch on a single road is nearly 60 miles.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 47.5 miles from Scranton, PA, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.7 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 21 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.5 miles or 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leesport, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scranton, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 95 miles and 1h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Scranton, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on American Legion Memorial Highway for about 59.7 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 94.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Lackawanna Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
61.4 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward PA 61 North: Frackville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 124B
Toward PA 61 North: Frackville
8
61.9 mi into trip|~1h 15m in|PA 61 / Skyline Drive
Turn uturn onto PA 61 / Skyline Drive
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
94.8 mi into trip|~1h 56m in|Wall Street
Turn right onto Wall Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.59 one way
$33.18 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$18.17
$36.33
premium
$5.20
$19.43
$38.87
diesel
$6.28
$23.47
$46.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.5
0
$9.98
$4.56
Efficient EV
23.8
0
$8.31
$3.80
EV Truck/SUV
38
0
$13.30
$6.08
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Scranton, PA
Late night
in Scranton on Sunday
Local time
12:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
31°F
Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
Leesport, PA
Late night
in Leesport on Sunday
Local time
12:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
35°F
Clear then Areas Of Frost
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
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
4 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 56m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
21 mi from route
~53 min detour
Free
near mile 72
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with about 34% on highways. You'll encounter 59.7 miles on the American Legion Memorial Highway before transitioning to local roads like Center Avenue and Pottsville Pike. Expect a more stop-and-go experience typical of surface roads, rather than consistent highway cruising.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.7 mi on American Legion Memorial 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 around 0.1 miles in near Lackawanna Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 56m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 61.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Scranton is a city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is near Wilkes-Barre, and is the seventh most populous city in the state. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting of the hit TV show "The Office" and the birthplace of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States.
Top landmarks
•St. Peter's Cathedral — historic church in Pennsylvania, United States
•Steamtown National Historic Site — railroad museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania
•Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel — railway station in Scranton, the United States of America
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.7 miles on American Legion Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 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. 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: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 61.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Leesport, PA before heading back.
