Vernon, VT to Colchester, VT is 159.7 miles and takes about 3h 15m via I-89, I-91, and Fort Bridgman Road, with a fuel budget near $26 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, primarily traversing Vermont. Given its mostly highway profile and manageable duration, it's a straightforward drive. You can expect to cover this distance efficiently, making it a solid option for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
79.9 miles from Vernon, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 38m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
77.6 mi
1h 29m
I 91
62 mi
1h 11m
Fort Bridgman Road
4.8 mi
8m
Vermont Route 289
4.5 mi
6m
River Road
2.9 mi
4m
Vermont Route 117
2.8 mi
4m
Main Street
1.5 mi
2m
Colchester Road
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 77.6 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Vernon, VT and Colchester, VT.
1
Start on this road
61 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn left
160 ft·13 sec
3
Turn right onto VT 142
4.8 mi·8 min·Fort Bridgman Road
4
Continue on VT 142
0.7 mi·1 min·Vernon Street
5
Turn slight left onto Cotton Mill Hill
0.4 mi·1 min·Cotton Mill Hill
6
At end of road, turn left onto South Main Street
438 ft·12 sec·South Main Street
7
Keep slight right at fork onto Fairground Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Fairground Road
8
Turn left onto US 5
516 ft·13 sec·Canal Street
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 91 North: Putney, White River Junction
10
Merge onto I 91
62 mi·1 hr 11 min·I 91
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward I 89 North
12
Merge onto I 89
78 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 89
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Exit 11Toward US 2: Richmond, Williston
14
Turn right onto US 2
187 ft·6 sec·West Main Street
15
Turn right onto VT 117
0.8 mi·1 min·River Road
16
Continue on VT 117
2.8 mi·4 min·Vermont Route 117
17
Continue on VT 117
2.0 mi·3 min·River Road
18
Turn right onto VT 289
4.5 mi·6 min·Vermont Route 289
Toward VT 289 West
19
At end of road, turn right onto VT 2A
0.8 mi·1 min·Colchester Road
Use the right lane.
20
Continue on VT 2A
1.5 mi·2 min·Main Street
21
Turn right onto East Road
100 ft·2 sec·East Road
22
Arrive at destination
East Road
Trip Plan
Starting your drive in Vernon, VT, earlier in the day is advisable to maximize daylight hours and avoid potential afternoon traffic. With a total duration of just over 3 hours and one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing. Consider a brief pause around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $26, and fill up before embarking on the longest stretch of I-89, which spans 77.6 miles.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 79.9 miles from Vernon, VT, or about 1h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.6 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 35 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 79.9 miles or 1h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colchester, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Vernon, VT 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 Vernon, VT
This is one driving day of about 159.7 miles and 3h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Vernon, VT.
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 I 89 for about 77.6 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 157.4 — 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
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|VT 142 / Fort Bridgman Road
Turn right onto VT 142 / Fort Bridgman Road
Navigation decision point
4
5.9 mi into trip|~11m in|South Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
146.9 mi into trip|~2h 55m in
Take the exit toward US 2: Richmond, Williston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 11
Toward US 2: Richmond, Williston
7
157.4 mi into trip|~3h 11m in|VT 2A / Colchester Road
At end of road, turn right onto VT 2A / Colchester Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.71 one way
$51.42 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg56 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$28.29
$56.57
premium
$4.86
$30.58
$61.16
diesel
$5.61
$35.26
$70.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.9
0
$16.77
$7.67
Efficient EV
39.9
0
$13.97
$6.39
EV Truck/SUV
63.9
0
$22.36
$10.22
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (66% 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Vernon, VT
Late night
in Vernon on Tuesday
Local time
5:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Colchester, VT
Late night
in Colchester on Tuesday
Local time
5:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Hartford, VT
80 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
4 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
3h 15m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 77.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 92% of the mileage on interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 77.6 miles on I-89, indicating extended periods of consistent cruising. Surface roads, like Fort Bridgman Road, will appear later in the trip, offering a change of pace after the highway segments. Expect a higher density of exits and traffic merging as you approach your destination.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 77.6 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and I 91. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 15m drive. You will face about 15 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (VT 142 / Fort Bridgman Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point.
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 Vernon, VT to Colchester, VT, road signs begin pointing toward Williston along the way.
Williston
146.9 mi in|~2h 55m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 15m. Total distance: 159.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 77.6 miles on I 89. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 VT 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (VT 142 / Fort Bridgman Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Colchester, VT, but most travelers stay overnight.
