This 299.4-mile drive from Valdez to Anchorage is easily manageable as a one-day trip, taking approximately 5 hours and 10 minutes. You'll primarily be on East Pioneer Drive, East Egan Avenue, and the Richardson Highway. With a projected fuel cost of around $65 and only one recommended stop, this journey offers a straightforward transit through Alaska. The route offers a practical way to connect these two Alaskan communities, making it a convenient option for your travel plans.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
150 miles from Valdez, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Glenn Highway
179.8 mi
3h 42m
Richardson Highway
117.1 mi
2h 21m
East 5th Avenue
2.4 mi
5m
East Egan Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
East Pioneer Drive
0.1 mi
<1m
East Parks Highway
<0.1 mi
<1m
I Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
West 4th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Glenn Highway
— 179.8 mi, about 3h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valdez, AK and Anchorage, AK.
1
Start on this road
17 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto East Pioneer Drive
0.1 mi·23 sec·East Pioneer Drive
3
Turn left onto AK 4
0.4 mi·35 sec·East Egan Avenue
4
Continue on AK 4
117 mi·2 hr 21 min·Richardson Highway
5
Turn left onto AK 1
147 mi·3 hr 3 min·Glenn Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Merge onto AK 3
516 ft·6 sec·East Parks Highway
7
Continue on AK 1
33 mi·38 min·Glenn Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on AK 1
2.4 mi·5 min·East 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn right onto I Street
358 ft·17 sec·I Street
10
Turn left onto West 4th Avenue
120 ft·9 sec·West 4th Avenue
11
Turn left
85 ft·6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour 10-minute duration, starting your drive from Valdez early in the morning is a good strategy to maximize daylight and minimize late-night driving. You'll only need to plan for one stop, so consider making it a mid-point break to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before heading out, as the $65 estimated cost suggests a relatively efficient trip but it's always wise to start with a full tank. The 'turn-heavy' nature of this route means staying focused on navigation is key.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 150 miles from Valdez, AK, or about 3h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 179.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 66 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 150 miles or 3h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anchorage, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Valdez, AK so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Valdez, AK
This is one driving day of about 300 miles and 6h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Valdez, AK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Glenn Highway for about 179.8 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 300 — 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|East Pioneer Drive
Turn left onto East Pioneer Drive
Navigation decision point
5
117.6 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Turn left onto AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
299.9 mi into trip|~6h 10m in|I Street
Turn right onto I Street
Navigation decision point
5
300 mi into trip|~6h 10m in|West 4th Avenue
Turn left onto West 4th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
300 mi into trip|~6h 10m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$65.02 one way
$130.04 round trip
$5.51/gal25.4 MPG avg105 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.79
$68.37
$136.75
premium
$5.98
$70.63
$141.26
diesel
$5.61
$66.24
$132.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$65
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$90–$115
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 105 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
90
1
$31.50
$14.40
Efficient EV
75
0
$26.25
$12.00
EV Truck/SUV
120
1
$42.00
$19.20
Gas CO2
105 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Valdez, AK
Evening
in Valdez on Saturday
Local time
6:45 PM
AKDT
Current temp
29°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Anchorage, AK
Evening
in Anchorage on Saturday
Local time
6:45 PM
AKDT
Current temp
27°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
24°F
Palmer, AK
150 mi in
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.
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
2 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
6h 10m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for much of this 299.4-mile route, with no highway mileage. While the longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, the profile indicates frequent directional changes rather than long, open-road cruising. This suggests a driving experience that requires constant attention and engagement with the road. The road conditions will likely shift as you transition between different local roads and the Richardson Highway, demanding a responsive driving style.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 179.8 mi on Glenn Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Pioneer Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 10m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 7 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Pioneer Drive): Navigation decision point; at 117.6 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 299.9 miles (I Street): Navigation decision point.
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, in the Southcentral region. Anchorage is a cosmopolitan port city with a population of 291 247 (2020). It is a consolidated city-borough referred to as a municipality. The urbanized city is defined by Muldoon Road to the east, Rabbit Creek Road to the south, and Cook Inlet to the north and west. Several small suburbs are within the Municipality of Anchorage while physically outside what most Anchorageites would call the "Anchorage" proper area. These include Eagle River and Chugiak to the north and Girdwood to the south.
The longest stretch is about 179.8 miles on Glenn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Anchorage, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 (East Pioneer Drive): Navigation decision point; at 117.6 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 299.9 miles (I Street): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.2 hours each way, a round trip means 12.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Anchorage, AK before the return drive.
