Trip from Beattyville, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY

Drive Time

1h 28m

Distance

72.3 mi

116 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 21m ★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Beattyville, KY, KY

Beattyville, KY

Vietnam Hidden Light

Downtown Lexington-Fayette, KY, KY

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Kristopher Hines

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Beattyville to Lexington-Fayette, you are looking at a straightforward 72.3-mile trip. With an estimated travel time of 1 hour and 28 minutes, this journey is perfectly suited for a single-day outing. You can expect to spend approximately $11 on fuel, making it an affordable connection between these two Southeast Kentucky locations. The route relies heavily on major thoroughfares, including the Mountain Parkway, Slade Road, and I-64. Because the drive is relatively short, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay; it is designed for a quick, efficient transition between the regions.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

36.1 miles from Beattyville, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Drive Character

This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 67% of your time spent on major roads. You will navigate a mix of travel styles, starting with local roads like Slade Road before transitioning onto the high-speed corridors. The longest uninterrupted portion of your journey occurs on the Mountain Parkway, where you will cover 32.7 miles of open road. Behind the wheel, you will notice the transition from the quieter stretches near Beattyville to the more structured, high-traffic environment of the interstate system as you approach Lexington. It is a predictable, consistent experience that favors steady momentum over technical maneuvering.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Mountain Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 32.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Mountain Parkway and Slade Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 72.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (KY 11; KY 52 / Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Main Street

Turn left onto Main Street

Navigation decision point

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | KY 11; KY 52 / Broadway

Turn left onto KY 11; KY 52 / Broadway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
67.8 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 81 Toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
8
69.3 mi into trip | ~1h 22m in

Take the exit toward US 60: Lexington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 110 Toward US 60: Lexington
5
69.6 mi into trip | ~1h 23m in | US 60 / Winchester Road

Turn right onto US 60 / Winchester Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Beattyville, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Knoxville along the way.

Knoxville

67.8 mi in | ~1h 19m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Mountain Parkway 32.7 mi 35m
Slade Road 18.1 mi 25m
I 64 15.5 mi 16m
Winchester Road 1.7 mi 2m
Broadway 1.3 mi 1m
East New Circle Road 0.5 mi 1m
I 75 0.3 mi <1m
Floyd Drive 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Mountain Parkway — 32.7 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Beattyville, KY and Lexington-Fayette, KY.

1

Start on Bradford Street

86 ft · 9 sec · Bradford Street
2

Turn left onto Main Street

76 ft · 9 sec · Main Street
3

Turn left onto KY 11; KY 52

1.3 mi · 1 min · Broadway
Use the straight lane.
4

Continue on KY 11

18 mi · 25 min · Slade Road
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
6

Merge onto Mountain Parkway

33 mi · 35 min · Mountain Parkway
7

Merge onto I 64

16 mi · 16 min · I 64
8

Keep slight left at fork

1.2 mi · 2 min
Exit 81 Toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
9

Merge onto I 75

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 75
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Exit 110 Toward US 60: Lexington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn right onto US 60

1.7 mi · 2 min · Winchester Road
Use the none lane.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
13

Merge onto KY 4

0.5 mi · 1 min · East New Circle Road
14

Turn left onto Floyd Drive

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Floyd Drive
15

Turn left

0.1 mi · 41 sec
16

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Since the total drive time is under 90 minutes, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You won't need to stress about pacing multiple stops, as the direct nature of the route allows you to reach your destination without significant breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before leaving Beattyville to ensure you stay within your $11 budget for the trip. Given that the Mountain Parkway makes up your longest stretch, try to time your drive to avoid peak commuter hours on I-64 to ensure the final leg into Lexington remains smooth. The lack of required stops gives you the freedom to head out whenever it best fits your personal schedule.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 36.1 miles from Beattyville, KY, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.7 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 72.3 miles or 1h 28m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 36.1 miles or 45m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lexington-Fayette, KY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Beattyville, KY 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 Beattyville, KY

This is one driving day of about 72.3 miles and 1h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Beattyville, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Mountain Parkway for about 32.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 36.1 mi from Beattyville, KY · 45m into the drive

Downtown Nicholasville, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Nicholasville, KY

36 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Popular next leg

Nicholasville, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY

16 mi · 28m

Pacing Suggestions

Nicholasville, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 72.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Nicholasville, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36.1 miles from Beattyville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lexington-Fayette, KY

The final approach into Lexington-Fayette, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Lexington-Fayette, KY.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.98 one way

$21.96 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $12.11 $24.21
premium $4.80 $13.65 $27.30
diesel $5.64 $16.06 $32.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.7 0 $7.59 $3.47
Efficient EV 18.1 0 $6.33 $2.89
EV Truck/SUV 28.9 0 $10.12 $4.63

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

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 data refreshed 14 hours ago

Origin

Beattyville, KY

Evening in Beattyville on Sunday

Local time

6:47 PM

EDT

Current temp

86°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Evening in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday

Local time

6:47 PM

EDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

5 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

1h 28m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Beattyville, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY covers 72.3 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Mountain Parkway, Slade Road, I 64. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.1 miles from Beattyville, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.98 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 72.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (KY 11; KY 52 / Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Beattyville, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Knoxville along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Lexington-Fayette, KY to Beattyville, KY

Plan the drive back the other way.

72 mi 1h 27m

Explore more options from Beattyville, KY or browse trips ending in Lexington-Fayette, KY.

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