How far is Scranton, PA from Back Mountain, PA?

The driving distance from Scranton, PA to Back Mountain, PA is about 28 miles (45 km), with a travel time of about 00h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.9 miles (28.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 24m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
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
27.97 mi
00h 42m
Flight
17.91 mi
28.83 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Scranton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.91 mi
Kilometers
28.83 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.97 mi
Kilometers
45.02 km
Drive Time
00h 42m

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 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Back Mountain
Thu, Apr 23, 12:18 AM EDT
Return by in Scranton
Thu, Apr 23, 1:01 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Scranton
2026-04-22T23:36
Arrive Back Mountain
Thu, Apr 23, 12:18 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:42 AM to 7:42 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:06 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Scranton
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Laflin
PA

Borough in northeastern Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

From Scranton
14 mi
00h 21m
To Back Mountain
14 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SW
Destination
63°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Scranton and Back Mountain.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scranton and Back Mountain.

  1. 1

    Start on Wyoming Avenue

    689 ft · 38 sec · Wyoming Avenue

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue

    976 ft · 25 sec · Lackawanna Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Cedar Avenue

    1191 ft · 22 sec · Cedar Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on Cedar Avenue

    122 m · 13 sec · Cedar Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto River Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · River Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp right

    1178 ft · 29 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto American Legion Memorial Highway

    13.7 mi · 16 min · American Legion Memorial Highway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward PA 115 east, PA 309 north: Wilkes-Barre

    1849 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight right onto North Cross Valley Expressway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · North Cross Valley Expressway

  10. 10

    Continue on South Memorial Highway

    4.6 mi · 10 min · South Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Memorial Highway

    64 m · 5 sec · Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto Memorial Highway

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Memorial Highway

  13. 13

    Turn left

    2575 ft · 42 sec

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Scranton and Back Mountain.

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
14 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
50 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
American Legion Memorial Highway
13.7 mi · 49%
North Cross Valley Expressway
5.51 mi · 20%
South Memorial Highway
4.59 mi · 16%
Memorial Highway
1.65 mi · 6%
River Street
1.1 mi · 4%
PA 115 east
0.35 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

American Legion Memorial Highway

Merge slight left onto American Legion Memorial Highway

13.7 mi · 00h 16m

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 42m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.1 mi
17.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Laflin
00h 21m from Scranton
Leave By
7:06 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny leaving Scranton and Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny near Back Mountain.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Scranton to Back Mountain?

The road trip is about 28 miles (45 km) and usually takes 00h 42m 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?

Laflin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 14 miles from Scranton and 14 miles from Back Mountain.

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

The direct path is about 17.9 miles (28.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.1 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:06 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.05 one way or $8.09 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny around Scranton and Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny near Back Mountain.

Stop Ideas Near Laflin

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Laflin, 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 Laflin.

BUS

Wilkes-Barre, PA

8 mi away
47 South Washington Street
BUS

Scranton, PA

18 mi away
23 Lackawanna Avenue
BUS

White Haven, PA

26 mi away
I-476, Exit 95/I-80, Exit 277, at Hwy 940

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Scranton and Back Mountain. Straight-line distance: 17.91 mi (28.83 km).

Scranton

#1 Scranton

The third most populous city in Pennsylvania.

Population76,532
Coordinates41.4091600, -75.6649000
Altitude230
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Back Mountain

Unincorporated community

Population26,973
Coordinates41.3359100, -75.9963100
Altitude389
CountryUnited States
Start: Scranton (-75.6649, 41.40916)
End: Back Mountain (-75.99631, 41.33591)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 45 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.99 gal
3.74 L · about $4.05
Round trip
$8.09
1.98 gal · 7.48 L
Estimated CO2
8.8 kg one way
Round trip: 17.6 kg / 39 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $4.05 $8.09
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.55 $9.11
Premium $4.95 $4.90 $9.81
Diesel $5.98 $5.92 $11.84

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 Pennsylvania · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Scranton and Back Mountain. The current time is 23:36:28.

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.