How far is King Cove, AK from Kenai, AK?

The driving distance from King Cove, AK to Kenai, AK is about 971.5 miles (1563.4 km), with a travel time of about 35h 01m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 555.3 miles (893.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 70h 02m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
971.45 mi
35h 01m
Flight
555.31 mi
893.69 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from King Cove.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
555.31 mi
Kilometers
893.69 km
Flight Time
01h 07m

Driving Distance

Road route
971.45 mi
Kilometers
1563.39 km
Drive Time
35h 01m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 35h 01m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kenai
Mon, Apr 20, 2:33 PM AKDT
Return by in King Cove
Wed, Apr 22, 1:34 AM AKDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave King Cove
2026-04-19T03:32
Arrive Kenai
Mon, Apr 20, 2:33 PM AKDT
Route Timing
35h 01m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
5:01 PM to 6:31 PM AKDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
1:58 PM AKDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in King Cove
8:00 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Akhiok
AK

City

From King Cove
382 mi
17h 30m
To Kenai
589.4 mi
17h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
41°F
Sunday

Rain And Snow Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
20 to 30 mph SW
Destination
42°F
Sunday

Chance Rain And Snow then Rain And Snow Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between King Cove and Kenai.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between King Cove and Kenai.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    95 m · 30 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Ram's Creek Road

    1718 ft · 47 sec · Ram's Creek Road

  3. 3

    Continue on Harbor Road

    3021 ft · 1 min · Harbor Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Alaska Marine Highway Terminak King Cove

    23 m · 6 sec · Alaska Marine Highway Terminak King Cove

  5. 5

    Continue on Alaska Marine Highway - Sand Point to King Cove

    95.5 mi · 6 hr 15 min · Alaska Marine Highway - Sand Point to King Cove

  6. 6

    Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Chignik to Sand Point

    142.3 mi · 9 hr 15 min · Alaska Marine Highway - Chignik to Sand Point

  7. 7

    Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Kodiak to Chignik

    288.4 mi · 6 hr 30 min · Alaska Marine Highway - Kodiak to Chignik

  8. 8

    Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Homer - Kodiak Ferry

    151.3 mi · 9 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Homer - Kodiak Ferry

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Ferry Access

    51 m · 12 sec · Ferry Access

  10. 10

    Continue on Coast Guard Access

    657 ft · 49 sec · Coast Guard Access

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Homer Spit Road

    4.3 mi · 9 min · Homer Spit Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Ocean Drive

    2814 ft · 1 min · Ocean Drive

  13. 13

    Continue on Lake Street

    2226 ft · 56 sec · Lake Street

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto Homer Bypass Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Homer Bypass Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Sterling Highway

    61.2 mi · 1 hr 27 min · Sterling Highway

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Kalifornsky Beach Road

    16.2 mi · 22 min · Kalifornsky Beach Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Bridge Access Road

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Bridge Access Road

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Kenai Spur Highway

    2847 ft · 1 min · Kenai Spur Highway

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    28 m · 6 sec · Broad Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Frontage Road

    142 m · 20 sec · Frontage Road

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Frontage Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between King Cove and Kenai.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
21 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Alaska Marine Highway - Kodiak to Chignik
288 mi · 30%
Alaska Marine Highway - Homer - Kodiak Ferry
151 mi · 16%
Alaska Marine Highway - Chignik to Sand Point
142 mi · 15%
Alaska Marine Highway - Sand Point to King Cove
95.5 mi · 10%
Sterling Highway
61.2 mi · 6%
Kalifornsky Beach Road
16.2 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Alaska Marine Highway - Kodiak to Chignik

Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Kodiak to Chignik

288 mi · 06h 30m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
35h 01m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
70h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+416.2 mi
555.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Akhiok
17h 30m from King Cove
Leave By
1:58 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Rain And Snow Likely leaving King Cove and Chance Rain And Snow then Rain And Snow Likely near Kenai.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from King Cove to Kenai?

The road trip is about 971.5 miles (1563.4 km) and usually takes 35h 01m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Akhiok is a useful midpoint, sitting about 382 miles from King Cove and 589.4 miles from Kenai.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 555.3 miles (893.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 416.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $169.72 one way or $339.44 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 304.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain And Snow Likely around King Cove and Chance Rain And Snow then Rain And Snow Likely near Kenai.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between King Cove and Kenai. Straight-line distance: 555.31 mi (893.69 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 King Cove

City in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States

Population1,021
Coordinates55.0608700, -162.3185300
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Kenai

#2 Kenai

City in Alaska

Population7,890
Coordinates60.5544400, -151.2583300
Altitude22
CountryUnited States
Start: (-162.318341, 55.060887)
End: Frontage Road (-151.258293, 60.554244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1563 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)32h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)24h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)19h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)16h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)13h 52m
80 mph (129 km/h)12h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
34.28 gal
129.76 L · about $169.72
Round trip
$339.44
68.56 gal · 259.52 L
Estimated CO2
304.6 kg one way
Round trip: 609.3 kg / 1343 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $169.72 $339.44
Mid-grade $5.34 $182.99 $365.97
Premium $5.57 $190.80 $381.60
Diesel $6.37 $218.23 $436.45

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Alaska · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between King Cove and Kenai. The current time is 03:32:29.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.