Valdez to Glennallen is 119.9 miles and takes about 2 hours 26 minutes via Richardson Highway and Glenn Highway, with a fuel budget near $25 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Alaska, connecting two points in the state. The drive primarily utilizes surface roads, offering a straightforward connection between these two locations. With a duration under three hours and a modest fuel cost, this route is ideal for a quick travel day or as a segment of a larger Alaskan adventure.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
60 miles from Valdez, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Richardson Highway
117.1 mi
2h 21m
Glenn Highway
2.3 mi
4m
East Egan Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
East Pioneer Drive
0.1 mi
<1m
Bureau of Land Management Driveway
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Richardson Highway
— 117.1 mi, about 2h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valdez, AK and Glennallen, 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
2.3 mi·4 min·Glenn Highway
6
Turn right onto Bureau of Land Management Driveway
78 ft·5 sec·Bureau of Land Management Driveway
7
Arrive at destination
Bureau of Land Management Driveway
Trip Plan
Given the 2 hour 26 minute drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Consider departing in the morning to maximize your daylight hours, especially during seasons with less daylight. There are no designated stops mentioned, so you have flexibility to stop as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $25, and plan your refueling accordingly, especially before you begin the longest stretch on the Richardson Highway.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 60 miles from Valdez, AK, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.1 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 26 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Glennallen, 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 119.9 miles and 2h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Valdez, AK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Richardson Highway for about 117.1 miles.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 4
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 119.9 — 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
3
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|AK 4 / East Egan Avenue
Turn left onto AK 4 / East Egan Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
117.6 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Turn left onto AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Navigation decision point
3
119.9 mi into trip|~2h 26m in|Bureau of Land Management Driveway
Turn right onto Bureau of Land Management Driveway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.17 one way
$50.35 round trip
$5.33/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.61
$26.48
$52.95
premium
$5.80
$27.39
$54.78
diesel
$5.60
$26.43
$52.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36
0
$12.59
$5.76
Efficient EV
30
0
$10.49
$4.80
EV Truck/SUV
48
0
$16.79
$7.67
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Aug 22, 2026
Origin
Valdez, AK
Evening
in Valdez on Friday
Local time
8:53 PM
AKDT
Current temp
51°F
Scattered Rain Showers
W 10 mph51% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Glennallen, AK
Evening
in Glennallen on Friday
Local time
8:53 PM
AKDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 10 mph10% chanceLive forecast
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
11 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
2h 26m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on surface roads for this 119.9-mile drive. The longest stretch on a single road is 117.1 miles, which occurs on the Richardson Highway. After that section, you'll transition to other roads, including the Glenn Highway and East Egan Avenue, for the remainder of the trip. Expect straightforward cruising for the majority of this drive.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 117.1 mi on Richardson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Pioneer Drive.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Valdez, AK to Glennallen, AK is easy. At 2h 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Pioneer Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (AK 4 / East Egan Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 117.6 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 117.1 miles on Richardson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 0.1 miles (AK 4 / East Egan Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 117.6 miles (AK 1 / Glenn Highway): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Glennallen, AK before heading back.
