If you are looking to traverse the heart of Vermont, this 103-mile journey from Waitsfield to Springfield is an excellent choice for a single-day excursion. Expect to spend about 2 hours and 9 minutes behind the wheel, navigating a path that avoids major interstates entirely. With a fuel budget of approximately $15, this trip remains an affordable way to explore the Northeast region. Because the route is relatively short, you can comfortably complete the drive in one day without needing to book an overnight stay. Whether you are commuting or simply exploring the countryside, the lack of highway travel keeps the experience grounded in local scenery.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.5 miles from Waitsfield, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
57.8 mi
1h 6m
I 91
27.8 mi
32m
Vermont Route 100B
7.9 mi
13m
Main Street
4.2 mi
7m
Charlestown Road
2 mi
3m
Clinton Street
1.3 mi
2m
U.S. Route 2
0.5 mi
1m
Vermont Route 100 South
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 57.8 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waitsfield, VT and Springfield, VT.
1
Start on VT 100
3.9 mi·6 min·Main Street
2
Continue on VT 100
0.5 mi·45 sec·Vermont Route 100 South
3
Continue on VT 100B
7.9 mi·13 min·Vermont Route 100B
4
Turn left onto US 2
0.5 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 2
5
Turn slight right
145 ft·6 sec
6
Turn straight onto Center Road
241 ft·5 sec·Center Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
8
Merge onto I 89
58 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 89
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
11
Merge onto I 91
28 mi·32 min·I 91
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 7Toward US 5, VT 11, VT 106: Springfield
13
Turn straight onto US 5; VT 11
2.0 mi·3 min·Charlestown Road
14
Continue on VT 11
1.3 mi·2 min·Clinton Street
15
Continue on VT 11
0.3 mi·50 sec·Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
VT 11
Trip Plan
Since this is a straightforward 2-hour drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Aim to hit the road when you are fresh, as the turn-heavy nature of these local roads requires consistent focus. Because there are no designated stops scheduled in the data, pack any necessary snacks or water before you leave Waitsfield to ensure you stay comfortable. Keep your $15 fuel budget in mind, and consider topping off your tank before departing to avoid searching for stations along the more remote sections. Your best strategy is to enjoy the lack of highway traffic and use the extra time to pace your own arrival in Springfield.
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 51.5 miles from Waitsfield, VT, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.8 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 23 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.5 miles or 1h 7m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Springfield, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waitsfield, 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 Waitsfield, VT
This is one driving day of about 103 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Waitsfield, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 89 for about 57.8 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 12.3 and 99.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
12.3 mi into trip|~21m in|US 2 / U.S. Route 2
Turn left onto US 2 / U.S. Route 2
Navigation decision point
4
13 mi into trip|~22m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
70.9 mi into trip|~1h 29m in
Take the exit toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
6
71.2 mi into trip|~1h 30m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
6
99.1 mi into trip|~2h 2m in
Take the exit toward US 5, VT 11, VT 106: Springfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 7
Toward US 5, VT 11, VT 106: Springfield
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.58 one way
$33.16 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$18.24
$36.49
premium
$4.86
$19.72
$39.45
diesel
$5.61
$22.74
$45.48
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.9
0
$10.82
$4.94
Efficient EV
25.8
0
$9.01
$4.12
EV Truck/SUV
41.2
0
$14.42
$6.59
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Waitsfield, VT
Morning
in Waitsfield on Tuesday
Local time
6:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Springfield, VT
Morning
in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
6:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Bethel, VT
52 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
21 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
2h 9m 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
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 67.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy, local driving experience that prioritizes winding roads over high-speed travel. You will navigate via Bridge Street, East Warren Road, and Roxbury Mountain Road, enjoying a route with zero percent highway share. This is not a monotonous interstate grind; instead, you get a technical, hands-on drive that requires your full attention. The road's personality is defined by its constant curves and local character, offering a stark contrast to the typical highway experience. Because there are no long, uninterrupted stretches, you will find the rhythm of the drive changes frequently as you transition through the landscape.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.8 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 12.3 miles in near US 2 / U.S. Route 2.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 9m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.3 miles (US 2 / U.S. Route 2): Navigation decision point; at 13 miles: Navigation decision point; at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Waitsfield, VT to Springfield, VT, road signs begin pointing toward White River along the way.
The longest stretch is about 57.8 miles on I 89. 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 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: at 12.3 miles (US 2 / U.S. Route 2): Navigation decision point; at 13 miles: Navigation decision point; at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Springfield, VT before heading back.
