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Trip from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

1h 40m

Distance

75.1 mi

121 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 33m ★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 55m
10 AM
1h 45m
12 PM
1h 44m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 54m
8 PM
1h 36m

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

city in Carroll County, Kentucky

Carrollton, KY

Wikimedia Commons

city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States

Nicholasville, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 75.1 miles and takes about 1h 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Park Avenue, Owenton Road, KY 355 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.74 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.

Midpoint

37.5 miles from Carrollton, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 75.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 40m drive with frequent turns across 75.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Park Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY is easy. At 1h 40m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Park Avenue
Owenton Road
KY 355
Crittenden Street
Waverly Road
Main Street
Wilkinson Boulevard
Versailles Road

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Park Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Carrollton, KY and Nicholasville, KY.

1

Start on Highland Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · Highland Avenue
2

Turn right onto Park Avenue

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Park Avenue
3

Continue on Owenton Road

8.0 mi · 11 min · Owenton Road
4

Turn right onto KY 355

12 mi · 21 min · KY 355
5

Continue on Crittenden Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Crittenden Street
6

Turn right onto Waverly Road

299 ft · 8 sec · Waverly Road
7

Turn left onto Main Street

6.6 mi · 11 min · Main Street
8

Turn right

16 mi · 18 min
9

Continue straight

0.1 mi · 15 sec
10

Take the exit left

39 ft · 2 sec
11

Turn right

0.3 mi · 46 sec
12

Merge slight left onto Wilkinson Boulevard

1.2 mi · 1 min · Wilkinson Boulevard
13

Continue on Versailles Road

3.3 mi · 5 min · Versailles Road
14

Continue on Frankfort Highway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Frankfort Highway
15

Continue on Frankfort Road

5.9 mi · 6 min · Frankfort Road
16

Turn slight right onto Frankfort Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Frankfort Street
17

Continue on North Main Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
18

Continue on Troy Pike

2.1 mi · 3 min · Troy Pike
19

Turn left onto Pinckard Pike

4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike
20

Continue on Keene-Versailles Road

2.1 mi · 2 min · Keene-Versailles Road
21

Continue on Pinchard Pike

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Pinchard Pike
22

Turn right onto Keene Road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Keene Road
23

Continue on Keene Road

5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road
24

Continue on North 3rd Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · North 3rd Street
25

Turn left onto West Oak Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · West Oak Street
26

Turn right onto North Main Street

0.1 mi · 13 sec · North Main Street
27

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 37.5 miles from Carrollton, KY, or about 50m into the drive.

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 17 miles or 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 37.5 miles or 50m 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 25m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Carrollton, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Carrollton, KY

This is one driving day of about 75.1 miles and 1h 40m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Carrollton, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 37.5 mi from Carrollton, KY · 50m into the drive

Downtown Owenton, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Owenton, KY

38 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Vevay, IN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Owenton, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 37.5 miles from Carrollton, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Nicholasville, KY

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

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.74 one way

$23.48 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $12.89 $25.78
premium $4.89 $14.45 $28.90
diesel $5.61 $16.58 $33.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 26.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22.5 0 $7.89 $3.60
Efficient EV 18.8 0 $6.57 $3.00
EV Truck/SUV 30 0 $10.51 $4.81

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (65% 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

Carrollton, KY

Late night in Carrollton on Friday

Local time

3:34 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Nicholasville, KY

Late night in Nicholasville on Friday

Local time

3:34 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°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

20 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

1h 40m 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 Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 75.1 miles and takes about 1h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Park Avenue, Owenton Road, KY 355. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 37.5 miles from Carrollton, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.74 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.

The drive from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY is easy. At 1h 40m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Carrollton, KY to Nicholasville, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Data sources

The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.

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