The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Buckhall, VA covers 86.7 miles and takes about 2h 9m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Seminole Trail, James Madison Highway, Catlett Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.9 miles on Seminole Trail.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.56 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
43.3 miles from Charlottesville, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 4m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 9m. Total distance: 86.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 9m drive with frequent turns across 86.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Seminole Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 33.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 250 BUS / East Market Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 86.7 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 (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 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|US 250 BUS / East Market Street
Turn left onto US 250 BUS / East Market Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|7th Street Northeast
Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
2.7 mi into trip|~6m in|SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Enter roundabout onto SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
79.4 mi into trip|~1h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward VA 234 South: Dumfries
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward VA 234 South: Dumfries
7
83.1 mi into trip|~2h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Seminole Trail
33.9 mi
48m
James Madison Highway
14.7 mi
18m
Catlett Road
13.9 mi
23m
James Monroe Highway
7.7 mi
9m
Nokesville Road
6.3 mi
10m
Prince William Parkway
4 mi
5m
VA 294
2 mi
3m
U.S. 250 Bypass
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Seminole Trail
— 33.9 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlottesville, VA and Buckhall, VA.
1
Start on this road
233 ft·22 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto US 250 BUS
180 ft·9 sec·East Market Street
3
Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast
0.1 mi·31 sec·7th Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto US 250 BUS
315 ft·14 sec·East High Street
5
Turn right onto Park Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Park Street
6
Turn left
252 ft·7 sec
7
Take the ramp
141 ft·3 sec
Toward US 250 West
8
Merge onto US 250
1.5 mi·2 min·U.S. 250 Bypass
9
Turn right onto SR 743
0.3 mi·33 sec·Hydraulic Road
10
Enter roundabout onto SR 743
94 ft·2 sec·Hydraulic Road
11
Continue on SR 743
0.2 mi·23 sec·Hydraulic Road
12
Turn right onto US 29
34 mi·48 min·Seminole Trail
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 29
7.7 mi·9 min·James Monroe Highway
14
Continue on US 15; US 29
15 mi·18 min·James Madison Highway
15
Turn slight right onto VA 28
14 mi·23 min·Catlett Road
16
Continue on VA 28
6.3 mi·10 min·Nokesville Road
17
Take the exit
378 ft·10 sec
Toward VA 234: Dumfries
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward VA 234 South: DumfriesUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto VA 234
2.9 mi·3 min·Prince William Parkway
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
21
Keep slight left at fork
338 ft·12 sec
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on SR 649
0.2 mi·19 sec·Brentsville Road
23
Turn right onto VA 294; VA 234 BUS
2.0 mi·3 min·VA 294; VA 234 BUS
24
Continue on VA 294
1.1 mi·1 min·Prince William Parkway
Use the right lane.
25
Turn right onto SR 662
0.2 mi·40 sec·Moore Drive
26
Arrive at destination
SR 662
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 43.3 miles from Charlottesville, VA, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.9 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 19 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.3 miles or 1h 4m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buckhall, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Charlottesville, VA 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 Charlottesville, VA
This is one driving day of about 86.7 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Charlottesville, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Seminole Trail for about 33.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.3 mi from Charlottesville, VA
· 1h 4m 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.
Shenandoah National Park
National Park
Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
$30
near mile 26.9
The Potomac River corridor is rich in both history and recreation, offering a chance to both explore your heritage and choose your adventure along the way. Start your journey here!
29 mi from route
~73 min detour
Free
near mile 80.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.56 one way
$27.12 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$14.82
$29.65
premium
$4.70
$16.05
$32.09
diesel
$5.61
$19.14
$38.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26
0
$9.10
$4.16
Efficient EV
21.7
0
$7.59
$3.47
EV Truck/SUV
34.7
0
$12.14
$5.55
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Charlottesville, VA
Morning
in Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Buckhall, VA
Morning
in Buckhall on Friday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
4 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
2h 9m 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 Charlottesville, VA to Buckhall, VA covers 86.7 miles and takes about 2h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Seminole Trail, James Madison Highway, Catlett Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.3 miles from Charlottesville, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.56 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 15 significant decision points across 86.7 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 (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Charlottesville, VA to Buckhall, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Shenandoah National Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
