Wasilla to Valdez is 267.9 miles and takes about 5h 32m via Glenn Highway and Richardson Highway, with a fuel budget near $61 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within Alaska, moving from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley region towards the Prince William Sound area. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on well-maintained highways, making it a practical choice for a single-day excursion. You'll want to be prepared for the full 5-hour drive time, plus any time you spend at your single planned stop.
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
133.9 miles from Wasilla, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Glenn Highway
137.7 mi
2h 50m
Richardson Highway
117.1 mi
2h 20m
East Bogard Road
7.1 mi
10m
Palmer-Fishhook Road
2.4 mi
3m
Trunk Road
2.2 mi
3m
North Crusey Street
0.4 mi
<1m
East Egan Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
East Parks Highway
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Glenn Highway
— 137.7 mi, about 2h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wasilla, AK and Valdez, AK.
1
Start on Main Street
15 ft·7 sec·Main Street
2
Turn left onto AK 3
0.4 mi·40 sec·East Parks Highway
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto North Crusey Street
0.4 mi·50 sec·North Crusey Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto East Bogard Road
4.0 mi·6 min·East Bogard Road
Use the right lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto East Bogard Road
2 ft·0 sec·East Bogard Road
6
Continue on East Bogard Road
3.1 mi·4 min·East Bogard Road
7
Enter roundabout onto Trunk Road
243 ft·4 sec·Trunk Road
8
Continue on Trunk Road
2.2 mi·3 min·Trunk Road
9
Turn right onto Palmer-Fishhook Road
2.4 mi·3 min·Palmer-Fishhook Road
10
At end of road, turn left onto AK 1
138 mi·2 hr 50 min·Glenn Highway
11
At end of road, turn right onto AK 4
117 mi·2 hr 20 min·Richardson Highway
12
Continue on AK 4
0.4 mi·37 sec·East Egan Avenue
13
Turn right onto East Pioneer Drive
0.1 mi·20 sec·East Pioneer Drive
14
Turn right
17 ft·1 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 267.9-mile route, leaving Wasilla in the morning will give you ample time to reach Valdez before dark. The drive is manageable in one day, so you have flexibility on when to depart. Plan for your single stop strategically, as the longest stretch between services could be significant. Given the $61 fuel cost, ensure your tank is full before you leave Wasilla. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move onto Richardson Highway and East Bogard Road, as services may become less frequent.
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 133.9 miles from Wasilla, AK, or about 2h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 137.7 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 59 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133.9 miles or 2h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Valdez, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wasilla, 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 Wasilla, AK
This is one driving day of about 267.9 miles and 5h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Wasilla, 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 137.7 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 267.8 — 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|AK 3 / East Parks Highway
Turn left onto AK 3 / East Parks Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|North Crusey Street
Turn left onto North Crusey Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|East Bogard Road
Turn right onto East Bogard Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
12.6 mi into trip|~19m in|AK 1 / Glenn Highway
At end of road, turn left onto AK 1 / Glenn Highway
Navigation decision point
5
267.8 mi into trip|~5h 32m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.38 one way
$104.76 round trip
$4.97/gal25.4 MPG avg94 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.28
$55.67
$111.34
premium
$5.46
$57.54
$115.07
diesel
$4.80
$50.58
$101.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80.4
0
$28.13
$12.86
Efficient EV
67
0
$23.44
$10.72
EV Truck/SUV
107.2
1
$37.51
$17.15
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Wasilla, AK
Morning
in Wasilla on Sunday
Local time
8:38 AM
AKDT
Current temp
46°F
Chance Light Rain
0 mph54% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 9:56PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 9:11PM AKDT until July 21 at 10:00AM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
Destination
Valdez, AK
Morning
in Valdez on Sunday
Local time
8:38 AM
AKDT
Current temp
45°F
Light Rain Likely
E 5 to 10 mph69% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 9:56PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 9:11PM AKDT until July 21 at 10:00AM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
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
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
5h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll encounter your longest stretch of continuous driving at 137.7 miles along the Glenn Highway. After that, you'll transition to other main roads like Richardson Highway and East Bogard Road. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of this route, without the frequent exits or urban merging you'd find on a typical interstate.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 137.7 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 AK 3 / East Parks Highway.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 32m drive. You will face about 10 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 (AK 3 / East Parks Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (North Crusey Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (East Bogard Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Wasilla is a city of 9,000 people (2020) in Alaska. Wasilla is the last city of significant size on the Parks Highway northward; therefore, it is a frequent stopping point if traveling by car to Denali National Park, Fairbanks or other points north. It is most famous as the home town of Alaska Governor and 2008 Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who served as mayor of the city for six years.
Top landmarks
•Wasilla Depot — railway station in Wasilla, the United States of America
•Wasilla Elementary School — school building in Wasilla, United States of America
The longest stretch is about 137.7 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.
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 (AK 3 / East Parks Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (North Crusey Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (East Bogard Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Valdez, AK before the return drive.
