Sitka to Cohoe is 888.3 miles and takes about 51 hours 48 minutes via the Alaska Marine Highway system, with a fuel budget near $200 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This extensive route covers a significant portion of Alaska, primarily utilizing ferry services. The overall feel is one of remote exploration and a true Alaskan experience, requiring a substantial time commitment. Consider this trip if you're looking for an immersive drive through varied Alaskan landscapes and are prepared for the multi-day ferry travel involved.
Trip Pace
Best split across 4 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
14 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
444.1 miles from Sitka, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 28h 5m into the drive
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Given the 51 hour 48 minute duration, plan for at least 4 days to comfortably complete this route. It's best to start early in the morning to maximize daylight for driving segments and ferry check-ins. You'll have about 14 planned stops, so use these to break up the longer ferry rides and driving stretches. Keep an eye on fuel availability, especially before boarding ferries, as services can be limited in remote areas. Splitting the drive into roughly equal daily segments will help manage fatigue.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 4-day trip.
Plan roughly 14 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 444.1 miles from Sitka, AK, or about 28h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 334.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 195 miles or 11h 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 444.1 miles or 28h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 222.1 miles or 13h 41m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 50h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cohoe, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
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Open the route before leaving Sitka, AK so your first major turns are already loaded.
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Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
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Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
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Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
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Treat this as a 4-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sitka, AK
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Cohoe, AK
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 13 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 195 miles from Sitka, AK.
This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 14 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat for about 334.5 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 757.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road
Turn left onto S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|F-99 / Halibut Point Road
Enter roundabout onto F-99 / Halibut Point Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
160.8 mi into trip|~9h 43m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
423.4 mi into trip|~26h 43m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
757.9 mi into trip|~48h 43m in|West Camp Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Camp Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$196.96 one way
$393.93 round trip
$5.63/gal25.4 MPG avg311 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.95
$208.23
$416.45
premium
$6.10
$213.40
$426.80
diesel
$5.35
$187.10
$374.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$197
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$537–$817
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 310.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $93 in charging
· 3 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
266.5
3
$93.27
$42.64
Efficient EV
222.1
2
$77.73
$35.53
EV Truck/SUV
355.3
4
$124.36
$56.85
Gas CO2
311 kg
EV CO2
104 kg (67% less)
Plan for 3 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Sitka, AK
Morning
in Sitka on Wednesday
Local time
11:05 AM
AKDT
Current temp
44°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued May 31 at 9:14PM AKDT until June 2 at 8:00PM AKDT by NWS Juneau AK
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 31 at 2:40PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
Destination
Cohoe, AK
Morning
in Cohoe on Wednesday
Local time
11:05 AM
AKDT
Current temp
43°F
Clear
E 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued May 31 at 9:14PM AKDT until June 2 at 8:00PM AKDT by NWS Juneau AK
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 31 at 2:40PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
51h 48m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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.
Sitka National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On an island amid towering spruce and hemlock, Sitka National Historical Park preserves the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and Indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit. Totem poles from Tlingit...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip involves 8% highway driving, with the majority of your travel occurring on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system. The longest continuous ferry segment is 334.5 miles on the Whittier-Yakutat route. Expect long stretches of open water punctuated by ferry transitions. You'll notice the shift from scenic ferry cruising to driving on surface roads as you disembark for land-based portions.
8% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 334.5 mi on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
At 51h 48m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 888.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (F-99 / Halibut Point Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 160.8 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Sitka is a city of about 9,000 on the Pacific Ocean coast of Baranof Island in Alaska. First settled by Tlingit Aboriginal people, Sitka also has history as a Russian settlement, established in 1799 by Alexander Baranoff of the Russian American Company, which became the Russian capital of Alaska. In 1867, when Russia sold Alaska to the US, the transfer ceremony took place on Castle Hill at Sitka on October 18, a day celebrated as Alaska Day. Sitka now attracts about a quarter million visitors a year.
Top landmarks
•St. Michael's Cathedral — historic church in Alaska, United States
•Sitka National Historical Park — United States national park in Alaska
•Castle Hill — National Historic Landmark and state park in Sitka, Alaska, USA
Long-haul drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 334.5 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 4-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 222 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cohoe, AK before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 14 meaningful breaks. There are 2 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through AK can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (S-933 / Sawmill Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (F-99 / Halibut Point Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 160.8 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Yes — Sitka National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 51.8 hours each way, a round trip means 103.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cohoe, AK before the return drive.
