Origin
Sylacauga, AL
Late night in Sylacauga on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sylacauga, AL to Alabaster, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
44.1 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sylacauga, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Alabaster, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the Southeast, the 44.1-mile journey from Sylacauga to Alabaster is a straightforward trek. You can easily complete this drive in about 1 hour and 4 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, the route is highly economical for travelers looking to move between these Alabama locations. You will primarily navigate via US 231, County Road 11, and 1st Street North. Because the trip is short, you do not need to worry about overnight logistics or complex planning. It is an efficient, no-fuss connection that gets you from point A to point B without any necessary stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 231 | 27.8 mi | 35m |
| County Road 11 | 9.9 mi | 14m |
| 1st Street North | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Fort Williams Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Simmsville Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| County Road 280 | 1 mi | 2m |
| County Road 68 | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Norton Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 231
— 27.8 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sylacauga, AL and Alabaster, AL.
1
Start on this road
173 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Norton Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Norton Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 511
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Fort Williams Street
4
Turn right onto US 231; US 280
28 mi
·
35 min
·
US 231; US 280
5
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward 280: County Road 280
6
Continue on CR 280
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 280
7
Turn left onto CR 11
9.9 mi
·
14 min
·
County Road 11
8
Continue on CR 11
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Simmsville Road
9
Turn right onto CR 68
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 68
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 31; AL 119
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
1st Street North
11
Turn right
177 ft
·
18 sec
12
Turn right
97 ft
·
7 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22 miles from Sylacauga, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Norton Avenue
Turn left onto Norton Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 511 / West Fort Williams Street
Turn right onto CR 511 / West Fort Williams Street
Navigation decision point
4
29.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward 280: County Road 280
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward 280: County Road 280
4
44 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
44 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.66 one way
$13.32 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $7.31 | $14.62 |
| premium | $4.56 | $7.92 | $15.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.74 | $19.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.17 | $2.82 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Alabaster, AL
Late night in Alabaster on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Vincent, AL
22 mi in
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
23 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 4m 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 highway-focused drive relies heavily on major thoroughfares, with 63% of the journey spent on highway segments. You will spend a significant portion of your time on US 231, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 27.8 miles. The road’s personality is defined by these fast-paced stretches that eventually transition into the local roads of 1st Street North as you approach your destination. Expect a consistent, functional driving experience rather than a winding backroad adventure. Maintaining a steady pace is simple given the road composition, allowing you to settle into a rhythm quickly once you clear the initial departure points.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.8 mi on US 231.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 231 and County Road 11. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Norton Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 4m 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: near the start (Norton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (CR 511 / West Fort Williams Street): Navigation decision point; at 29.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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.
On the drive from Sylacauga, AL to Alabaster, AL, road signs begin pointing toward 280: County Road 280 along the way.
280: County Road 280
29.6 mi in
|
~39m
About the Cities
Starting in Sylacauga, AL
Full guide →Sylacauga is a town in Metropolitan Alabama. It is famed for its high quality white marble that has been widely used in major edifices like the Supreme Court and the Washington Monument in D.C., as well as for being the home of Jim Nabors (you might know him as Gomer Pyle).
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 1h 4m. Total distance: 44.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.8 miles on US 231. 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Norton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (CR 511 / West Fort Williams Street): Navigation decision point; at 29.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Alabaster, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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