Origin
South Portland, ME
Morning in South Portland on Sunday
Local time
11:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from South Portland, ME to Lake Arrowhead, ME
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
30.5 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Portland, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Arrowhead, ME
Ira Bowman
Trip Overview
South Portland, ME to Lake Arrowhead, ME is 30.5 miles and takes about 57 minutes via Cape Road and Broadway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, direct drive stays within the Northeast region and the state of Maine, making it a convenient local excursion. Expect a straightforward trip with minimal highway driving, ideal for a quick getaway or a day trip. The route is entirely within Maine, offering a taste of local New England scenery without extensive travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Road | 7.3 mi | 12m |
| Broadway | 5 mi | 8m |
| County Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Gorham Road | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Portland Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Doles Ridge Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Bar Mills Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Cape Road
— 7.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Portland, ME and Lake Arrowhead, ME.
1
Start on Pine Street
60 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pine Street
2
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
3
Turn left onto Broadway
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Broadway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on Mussey Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Mussey Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto ME 114
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Gorham Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto ME 22
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
County Road
Use the left / right lanes.
7
Continue on Portland Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Portland Road
8
Continue on ME 4A
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on ME 4A
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Bar Mills Road
10
Turn right onto ME 117
7.3 mi
·
12 min
·
Cape Road
11
Turn left onto Doles Ridge Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Doles Ridge Road
12
Turn left onto New Dam Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Dam Road
13
Turn right onto Old Portland Road
0.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Portland Road
14
Turn right onto Crescent Drive
267 ft
·
13 sec
·
Crescent Drive
15
Turn right onto Pioneer Circle
210 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pioneer Circle
16
Arrive at destination
Pioneer Circle
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.3 miles from South Portland, ME, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 30.5 — 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
|
Broadway
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Broadway
Turn left onto Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
9.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
ME 22 / County Road
At end of road, turn left onto ME 22 / County Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
4
29.6 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
Old Portland Road
Turn right onto Old Portland Road
Navigation decision point
4
30.5 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Pioneer Circle
Turn right onto Pioneer Circle
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.91 one way
$9.82 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.40 | $10.80 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.84 | $11.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.73 | $13.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lake Arrowhead, ME
Morning in Lake Arrowhead on Sunday
Local time
11:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°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.
Road read
57m 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 a turn-heavy local drive with no highway share, meaning you'll be navigating a series of local roads for the entire 30.5 miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 7.3 miles on Cape Road. Prepare for frequent turns and adjustments as you make your way through neighborhoods and local thoroughfares. The profile suggests a more engaged driving experience, less about covering ground quickly and more about following a specific path through communities.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on Cape Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Broadway.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 30.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles (Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (ME 22 / County Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 30.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on Cape Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ME 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 (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles (Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (ME 22 / County Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Arrowhead, ME 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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