How far is Sterling, AK from Badger, AK?

The driving distance from Sterling, AK to Badger, AK is about 502.6 miles (808.8 km), with a travel time of about 10h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 311.7 miles (501.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 20h 52m 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
502.57 mi
10h 26m
Flight
311.76 mi
501.73 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sterling.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
311.76 mi
Kilometers
501.73 km
Flight Time
00h 37m

Driving Distance

Road route
502.57 mi
Kilometers
808.81 km
Drive Time
10h 26m

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 10h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Badger
Thu, Apr 23, 5:16 PM AKDT
Return by in Sterling
Fri, Apr 24, 3:42 AM AKDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sterling
2026-04-23T06:50
Arrive Badger
Thu, Apr 23, 5:16 PM AKDT
Route Timing
10h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:26 PM to 5:56 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
3:08 PM AKDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sterling
8:00 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route

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
Talkeetna
AK

Place in Alaska

From Sterling
250.5 mi
05h 13m
To Badger
252 mi
05h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
51°F
Thursday

Light Rain

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
0 mph
Destination
49°F
Thursday

Chance Rain And Snow then Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
0 mph

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sterling and Badger.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sterling and Badger.

  1. 1

    Start on Great Land Street

    24 m · 6 sec · Great Land Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Sterling Highway

    46 mi · 1 hr 8 min · Sterling Highway

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Seward Highway

    88.5 mi · 1 hr 47 min · Seward Highway

  4. 4

    Continue on Ingra Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Ingra Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto East 6th Avenue

    1924 ft · 57 sec · East 6th Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on East 5th Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · East 5th Avenue

  7. 7

    Continue on Glenn Highway

    33 mi · 38 min · Glenn Highway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on East Parks Highway

    14.5 mi · 20 min · East Parks Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on West Parks Highway

    4.2 mi · 6 min · West Parks Highway

  10. 10

    Continue on George Parks Highway

    301.4 mi · 6 hr 1 min · George Parks Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on Robert Mitchell Expressway

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Robert Mitchell Expressway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right

    1503 ft · 41 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Richardson Highway

    5.4 mi · 7 min · Richardson Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on New Richardson Highway

    1.3 km · 1 min · New Richardson Highway

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Rozak Road

    679 ft · 19 sec · Rozak Road

  16. 16

    Continue on Old Richardson Highway

    1.1 km · 2 min · Old Richardson Highway

  17. 17

    Turn right

    2885 ft · 4 min

  18. 18

    Turn left

    1171 ft · 51 sec

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sterling and Badger.

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
19 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
1 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
3.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
George Parks Highway
301 mi · 60%
Seward Highway
88.5 mi · 18%
Sterling Highway
46 mi · 9%
Glenn Highway
33 mi · 7%
East Parks Highway
14.5 mi · 3%
Richardson Highway
5.39 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

George Parks Highway

Continue on George Parks Highway

301 mi · 06h 01m

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
10h 26m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
20h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+190.9 mi
311.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Talkeetna
05h 13m from Sterling
Leave By
3:08 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Light Rain leaving Sterling and Chance Rain And Snow then Mostly Cloudy near Badger.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sterling to Badger?

The road trip is about 502.6 miles (808.8 km) and usually takes 10h 26m 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?

Talkeetna is a useful midpoint, sitting about 250.5 miles from Sterling and 252 miles from Badger.

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

The direct path is about 311.7 miles (501.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 190.9 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 $87.78 one way or $175.56 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 157.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Light Rain around Sterling and Chance Rain And Snow then Mostly Cloudy near Badger.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sterling and Badger. Straight-line distance: 311.76 mi (501.73 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Sterling

This Kenai Peninsula community is situated at the central western base of the peninsula, along the Kenai River.

Population0
Coordinates60.5372200, -150.7647200
Altitude67
CountryUnited States
Badger

#2 Badger

Census-designated place in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska

Population19,482
Coordinates64.8000000, -147.5333300
Altitude144
CountryUnited States
Start: Sterling (-150.76472, 60.53722)
End: Badger (-147.53333, 64.8)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 809 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 44m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 03m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.73 gal
67.13 L · about $87.78
Round trip
$175.56
35.46 gal · 134.26 L
Estimated CO2
157.6 kg one way
Round trip: 315.1 kg / 695 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $87.78 $175.56
Mid-grade $5.34 $94.64 $189.29
Premium $5.57 $98.69 $197.37
Diesel $6.37 $112.87 $225.74

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Sterling and Badger. The current time is 06:50:06.

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.