Origin
Tuscumbia, AL
Afternoon in Tuscumbia on Sunday
Local time
12:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tuscumbia, AL to Huntsville, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
69.2 mi
111 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tuscumbia, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Tuscumbia to Huntsville is 69.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via Joe Wheeler Highway and I-565, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Alabama, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. It's a relatively short drive, suitable for a single day with plenty of time to spare. You'll experience a mixed drive, offering a bit of variety as you make your way toward your destination. This route is a straightforward option for connecting these two North Alabama cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Wheeler Highway | 20.2 mi | 24m |
| I 565 | 19.3 mi | 20m |
| US 72 Alternate | 8.6 mi | 12m |
| Wheeler Highway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| East Lee Highway | 6 mi | 7m |
| Huntsville-Decatur Highway | 3 mi | 3m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| South Woodmont Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Joe Wheeler Highway
— 20.2 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tuscumbia, AL and Huntsville, AL.
1
Start on East 6th Street
107 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 6th Street
2
Turn right onto South Dickson Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Dickson Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on South Woodmont Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Woodmont Drive
4
Turn left onto US 72
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East Lee Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Wheeler Highway
Toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
20 mi
·
24 min
·
Joe Wheeler Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
8.6 mi
·
12 min
·
US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Huntsville-Decatur Highway
Toward Huntsville
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on I 565; US 72 Alternate
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
12
Continue on this road
395 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 19C
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
13
Keep slight right at fork
343 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn straight onto Jefferson Street North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Jefferson Street North
15
Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest
4 ft
·
0 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
16
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.6 miles from Tuscumbia, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 68.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Dickson Street
Turn right onto South Dickson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
7.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward Decatur, Joe Wheeler State Park
5
44.3 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
68.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Do...
9
68.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.45 one way
$20.90 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.47 | $22.94 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.42 | $24.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.28 | $30.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.27 | $3.32 |
| Efficient EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.7 | 0 | $9.69 | $4.43 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Huntsville, AL
Afternoon in Huntsville on Sunday
Local time
12:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Trinity, AL
35 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
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
1h 26m 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 drive offers a mixed experience, with about 40% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of Joe Wheeler Highway before transitioning to I-565 and US 72 Alternate. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll cover is 20.2 miles on Joe Wheeler Highway, giving you a good segment of consistent driving. As you progress, the road character will shift from potentially more local roads to faster highway speeds, so be prepared for these changes. It's not a constant interstate grind, but it's also not an all-backroads adventure.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.2 mi on Joe Wheeler Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Dickson Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 (South Dickson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.3 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Tuscumbia, AL and Huntsville, AL, road signs point toward Decatur and Joe Wheeler State Park.
Decatur
7.1 mi in
|
~10m
|
via US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Joe Wheeler State Park
7.1 mi in
|
~10m
|
via US 72 Alternate; AL 20
About the Cities
Starting in Tuscumbia, AL
Full guide →Tuscumbia is a small town in northwest Alabama near Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lakes, best known as the birthplace of the famous deaf-blind activist and author, Helen Keller.
Arriving in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles (32 km) from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.
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 26m. Total distance: 69.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.2 miles on Joe Wheeler Highway. 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 Huntsville, 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: near the start (South Dickson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Wheeler Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.3 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Huntsville, 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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