Origin
Smoke Rise, AL
Afternoon in Smoke Rise on Sunday
Local time
2:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smoke Rise, AL to Hoover, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
36.9 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smoke Rise, AL
Marino Kurunić
Trip Overview
Smoke Rise to Hoover is 36.9 miles and takes about 54 minutes via I 65, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Alabama, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Given its brevity, it's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick transfer or a day trip without extensive planning. You'll mostly be on major highways, so expect a relatively predictable journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 30.6 mi | 35m |
| Smoke Rise Trail | 1.4 mi | 5m |
| Crosshill Lane | 0.9 mi | 3m |
| Crosshill Trail | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Ridge Trail | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Montgomery Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| US 31 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Deo Dara Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 30.6 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smoke Rise, AL and Hoover, AL.
1
Start on this road
157 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Crosshill Lane
0.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Crosshill Lane
3
At end of road, turn right onto Crosshill Trail
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Crosshill Trail
4
Turn right onto Ridge Trail
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Ridge Trail
5
Continue on Ridge Trail
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Ridge Trail
6
Turn left onto Scenic Trail
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Scenic Trail
7
Turn left onto Smoke Rise Trail
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Smoke Rise Trail
8
Continue on Smoke Rise Trail
0.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Smoke Rise Trail
9
At end of road, turn right onto AL 160
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
AL 160
10
Enter roundabout onto US 31
199 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 31
11
Continue on US 31
254 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 31
12
Enter roundabout onto US 31
223 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 31
13
Continue on US 31
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
US 31
14
Enter roundabout
250 ft
·
4 sec
15
Continue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
16
Merge onto I 65
18 mi
·
19 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 265
Toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 22 West: Memphis
Use the straight lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Toward Montgomery
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 65
12 mi
·
15 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 252
Toward US 31, AL 3
22
Turn right onto US 31
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Montgomery Highway
23
Turn right onto Old Columbiana Road
263 ft
·
20 sec
·
Old Columbiana Road
24
At end of road, turn left onto Old Columbiana Road
0.1 mi
·
45 sec
·
Old Columbiana Road
25
Turn right onto Deo Dara Drive
0.2 mi
·
55 sec
·
Deo Dara Drive
26
At end of road, turn left onto Whispering Pines Circle
150 ft
·
6 sec
·
Whispering Pines Circle
27
Arrive at destination
Whispering Pines Circle
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from Smoke Rise, 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 225 decision points cluster between mile 3.6 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 31
Enter roundabout onto US 31
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
3.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 31
Enter roundabout onto US 31
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
22.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
7
22.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 22 West: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 22 West: Memphis
7
23.3 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Montgomery
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Montgomery
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.57 one way
$11.15 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $6.12 | $12.24 |
| premium | $4.56 | $6.62 | $13.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.15 | $16.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.17 | $2.36 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Hoover, AL
Afternoon in Hoover on Sunday
Local time
2:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
54m 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 is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the route utilizing major roadways like I 65. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 30.6 miles on I 65, offering a chance for steady progress. You'll start on local roads like Smoke Rise Trail and Crosshill Lane before merging onto the interstate. Expect the character of the drive to shift from neighborhood streets to a faster-paced highway experience.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.6 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Smoke Rise Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 miles in near US 31.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 22 decision points packed into just 36.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles (US 31): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.7 miles (US 31): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 22.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Smoke Rise, AL and Hoover, AL, road signs point toward Fultondale and Montgomery.
Fultondale
22.2 mi in
|
~34m
Montgomery
23.3 mi in
|
~35m
About the Cities
Arriving in Hoover, AL
Full guide →Hoover is a city in the Birmingham urban area in Metropolitan Alabama, south of central Birmingham. While most nearby attractions in the area are in the city of Birmingham, Hoover is an important shopping/retail area.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 36.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.6 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Hoover, AL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 3.6 miles (US 31): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.7 miles (US 31): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 22.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. 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 Hoover, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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