The drive from Buckhannon, WV to Bluefield, WV covers 174.5 miles and takes about 3h 24m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 19, Senator Jennings Randolph Highway, West Virginia Turnpike for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 60.4 miles on US 19.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.29 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
87.2 miles from Buckhannon, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 41m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 24m. Total distance: 174.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Buckhannon, WV to Bluefield, WV covers 174.5 miles and takes about 3h 24m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 19 is the longest continuous segment at about 60.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 12 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 174.5 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 12 / West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 53.2 miles (US 19): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 12 / West Main Street
Turn right onto CR 12 / West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
12.1 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the exit toward I 79 South: Charleston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 79 South: Charleston
4
53.2 mi into trip|~1h in|US 19
Take the exit onto US 19 toward US 19 South: Beckley
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 19 South: Beckley
6
122.3 mi into trip|~2h 24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 64 East, I 77 South: Bluefield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 64 East, I 77 South: Bluefield
6
160.9 mi into trip|~3h 6m in
Take the exit toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Buckhannon, WV to Bluefield, WV, road signs begin pointing toward Pearisburg along the way.
Pearisburg
160.9 mi in|~3h 6m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 19
60.4 mi
1h 14m
Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
40.7 mi
43m
West Virginia Turnpike
37.5 mi
40m
Corridor H
10.8 mi
12m
Big Laurel Highway
9.9 mi
11m
Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
8.6 mi
9m
Chicory Road
3.2 mi
5m
West Main Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 19
— 60.4 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buckhannon, WV and Bluefield, WV.
1
Start on WV 20
80 ft·7 sec·North Locust Street
2
Turn right onto CR 12
0.6 mi·1 min·West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on CR 12
0.6 mi·1 min·Staunton & Parkersburg Turnpike
4
Turn left onto CR 7
0.1 mi·15 sec·Brushy Fork Crossing
5
Turn right onto US 33; US 48; US 119
11 mi·12 min·Corridor H
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward I 79 South: Charleston
7
Merge onto I 79
41 mi·43 min·Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
8
Take the exit onto US 19
0.3 mi·41 sec·US 19
Toward US 19 South: Beckley
9
Keep slight left at fork
318 ft·8 sec
10
Turn right onto Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
8.6 mi·9 min·Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
11
Continue on US 19
60 mi·1 hr 13 min·US 19
Use the straight lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi·2 min
Toward I 64 East, I 77 South: Bluefield
13
Merge onto I 64; I 77
38 mi·40 min·West Virginia Turnpike
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Exit 9Toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA
15
Turn right onto US 460
9.9 mi·11 min·Big Laurel Highway
16
Turn right onto US 19; US 52 Truck
3.2 mi·5 min·Chicory Road
17
Arrive at destination
US 19; US 52 Truck
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 87.2 miles from Buckhannon, WV, or about 1h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.4 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 38 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.2 miles or 1h 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bluefield, WV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buckhannon, WV 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 Buckhannon, WV
This is one driving day of about 174.5 miles and 3h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Buckhannon, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 19 for about 60.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 87.2 mi from Buckhannon, WV
· 1h 41m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gauley River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The 25 miles of free-flowing Gauley River and the six miles of the Meadow River pass through scenic gorges and valleys containing a wide variety of natural and cultural features. The Gauley River cont...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 96.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.29 one way
$54.58 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg61 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$29.84
$59.67
premium
$4.70
$32.30
$64.59
diesel
$5.61
$38.53
$77.05
Estimated Tolls: $2.67
West Virginia Turnpike
(37.5 mi)$2.63
Staunton & Parkersburg Turnpike
(0.6 mi)$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
6 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
DC-America Charging Station
Beckley, West Virginia
Other
1 DCFC
DC-America Charging Station
Princeton, West Virginia
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Mt Hope, West Virginia
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Princeton, West Virginia
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Summersville, West Virginia
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
InCharge Energy Charging Station
Bluefield, West Virginia
InCharge
1 DCFC
Other: 2
Tesla: 2
ChargePoint: 1
InCharge: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
52.4
0
$18.32
$8.38
Efficient EV
43.6
0
$15.27
$6.98
EV Truck/SUV
69.8
0
$24.43
$11.17
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Buckhannon, WV
Night
in Buckhannon on Friday
Local time
11:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bluefield, WV
Night
in Bluefield on Friday
Local time
11:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
19 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 24m 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 Buckhannon, WV to Bluefield, WV covers 174.5 miles and takes about 3h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 19, Senator Jennings Randolph Highway, West Virginia Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 87.2 miles from Buckhannon, WV. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.29 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 174.5 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 12 / West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 53.2 miles (US 19): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Buckhannon, WV to Bluefield, WV, road signs begin pointing toward Pearisburg along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
