How far is Rainbow City, AL from Hokes Bluff, AL?

The driving distance from Rainbow City, AL to Hokes Bluff, AL is about 14.2 miles (22.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 22m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 10.5 miles (16.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 45m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
14.15 mi
00h 22m
Flight
10.49 mi
16.89 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Rainbow City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.49 mi
Kilometers
16.89 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
14.15 mi
Kilometers
22.78 km
Drive Time
00h 22m

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 00h 22m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Hokes Bluff
Sun, May 31, 11:45 AM CDT
Return by in Rainbow City
Sun, May 31, 12:07 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Rainbow City
2026-05-31T11:22
Arrive Hokes Bluff
Sun, May 31, 11:45 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 22m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:23 AM to 7:23 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:44 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Rainbow City
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Gadsden
AL

City in and the county seat of Etowah County in the U.

From Rainbow City
7.1 mi
00h 11m
To Hokes Bluff
7.1 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph E
Destination
81°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Rainbow City and Hokes Bluff.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rainbow City and Hokes Bluff.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    17 m · 9 sec

  2. 2

    Turn sharp left onto Rainbow Drive

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Rainbow Drive

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right

    2256 ft · 55 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    1.1 km · 1 min

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn left onto George Wallace Drive

    1.1 km · 52 sec · George Wallace Drive

  6. 6

    Continue on North Hood Avenue

    1180 ft · 19 sec · North Hood Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto East Meighan Boulevard

    1.8 mi · 3 min · East Meighan Boulevard

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Piedmont Cutoff Highway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Piedmont Cutoff Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on Herman Nelson Highway

    4.8 mi · 7 min · Herman Nelson Highway

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Alford Bend Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Alford Bend Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Main Street

    3 m · 1 sec · Main Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Rainbow City and Hokes Bluff.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
12 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
84.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Herman Nelson Highway
4.82 mi · 34%
Rainbow Drive
4.39 mi · 31%
East Meighan Boulevard
1.77 mi · 12%
Piedmont Cutoff Highway
1.4 mi · 10%
Alford Bend Road
0.89 mi · 6%
George Wallace Drive
0.65 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Herman Nelson Highway

Continue on Herman Nelson Highway

4.82 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 22m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.7 mi
10.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Gadsden
00h 11m from Rainbow City
Leave By
7:44 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Rainbow City and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Hokes Bluff.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Rainbow City to Hokes Bluff?

The road trip is about 14.2 miles (22.8 km) and usually takes 00h 22m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Gadsden is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.1 miles from Rainbow City and 7.1 miles from Hokes Bluff.

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

The direct path is about 10.5 miles (16.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.7 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:44 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.89 one way or $3.79 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Rainbow City and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Hokes Bluff.

Stop Ideas Near Gadsden

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Gadsden, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Gadsden.

RAIL

Anniston

44 mi away
126 West 4th St
RAIL

Birmingham

93 mi away
1819 Morris Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Rainbow City and Hokes Bluff. Straight-line distance: 10.49 mi (16.89 km).

Rainbow City

#1 Rainbow City

City in Alabama, United States

Population9,611
Coordinates33.9548200, -86.0419200
Altitude170
CountryUnited States
Hokes Bluff

#2 Hokes Bluff

City in Etowah County, Alabama, United States

Population4,240
Coordinates33.9981500, -85.8663600
Altitude180
CountryUnited States
Start: Rainbow City (-86.04192, 33.95482)
End: Hokes Bluff (-85.86636, 33.99815)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 23 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 21m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 16m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 10m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.5 gal
1.89 L · about $1.89
Round trip
$3.79
1 gal · 3.78 L
Estimated CO2
4.4 kg one way
Round trip: 8.9 kg / 20 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $1.89 $3.79
Mid-grade $4.26 $2.13 $4.26
Premium $4.63 $2.31 $4.63
Diesel $5.42 $2.71 $5.42

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 Alabama · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Rainbow City and Hokes Bluff. The current time is 11:22:43.

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.