The drive from Clarksville, VA to East Hampton, VA covers 162.6 miles and takes about 3h 25m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, Virginia Avenue, James River Drive for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56.4 miles on I 85.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.36 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
81.3 miles from Clarksville, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 36m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 25m. Total distance: 162.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Clarksville, VA to East Hampton, VA covers 162.6 miles and takes about 3h 25m, 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 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 56.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 27.6 miles in near I 85.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 162.6 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: at 27.6 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 84 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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
27.6 mi into trip|~37m in|I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
84 mi into trip|~1h 39m in
Take the exit toward Wythe Street, Washigton Street, Historic Old Towne Petersburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 69
Toward Wythe Street, Washigton Street, Historic...
8
84.3 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 301 South: Wythe Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 301 South: Wythe Street
6
84.4 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|US 460 BUS; VA 36 / East Wythe Street
Merge onto US 460 BUS; VA 36 / East Wythe Street
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
92.9 mi into trip|~1h 50m in|VA 10; VA 156 BUS / East Randolph Road
Turn right onto VA 10; VA 156 BUS / East Randolph Road
Navigation decision point
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 Clarksville, VA to East Hampton, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Historic Old Towne Petersburg along the way.
Historic Old Towne Petersburg
84 mi in|~1h 39m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 85
56.4 mi
1h 1m
Virginia Avenue
20.3 mi
27m
James River Drive
14.6 mi
19m
Colonial Trail West
13.3 mi
15m
Old Stage Highway
12 mi
15m
Colonial Trail East
9.8 mi
11m
James River Bridge
4.4 mi
6m
West Mercury Boulevard
4 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 56.4 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clarksville, VA and East Hampton, VA.
1
Start on US 15; US 58 BUS
20 mi·27 min·Virginia Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Continue on US 1; US 58
3.5 mi·4 min·Highway 1
3
Continue on US 58
3.3 mi·4 min·South Hill Bypass
4
Continue on US 58
0.3 mi·35 sec·East Atlantic Street
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
6
Merge onto I 85
56 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 85
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 69Toward Wythe Street, Washigton Street, Historic Old Towne PetersburgUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward US 301 South: Wythe StreetUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto US 460 BUS; VA 36
0.6 mi·47 sec·East Wythe Street
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on VA 36
3.6 mi·4 min·East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on VA 36
2.0 mi·2 min·Oaklawn Boulevard
12
Continue on VA 36
2.2 mi·2 min·Winston Churchill Drive
13
Turn right onto VA 10; VA 156 BUS
1.3 mi·2 min·East Randolph Road
14
Continue on VA 10; VA 156 BUS
15 mi·19 min·James River Drive
15
Continue on VA 10
13 mi·15 min·Colonial Trail West
16
At end of road, turn left onto VA 10; VA 31
1.0 mi·1 min·Rolfe Highway
17
Take the exit
149 ft·6 sec
18
Merge onto VA 10
9.8 mi·11 min·Colonial Trail East
19
Continue on VA 10
12 mi·15 min·Old Stage Highway
Use the left lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 258
2.9 mi·4 min·Brewers Neck Boulevard
21
Turn left onto US 17; US 258; VA 32
2.4 mi·3 min·Carrollton Boulevard
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on US 17; US 258; VA 32
4.4 mi·6 min·James River Bridge
23
Continue on US 17; US 258; VA 32
3.7 mi·7 min·Mercury Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on US 258
4.0 mi·7 min·West Mercury Boulevard
Use the left lane.
25
Turn right onto Southerland Drive
0.2 mi·46 sec·Southerland Drive
26
Arrive at destination
Southerland Drive
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 81.3 miles from Clarksville, VA, or about 1h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.4 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 36 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.3 miles or 1h 36m 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 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Hampton, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clarksville, 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 Clarksville, VA
This is one driving day of about 162.6 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Clarksville, VA.
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 I 85 for about 56.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 81.3 mi from Clarksville, VA
· 1h 36m into the drive
The Exchange Building and Petersburg Visitors Center
4.2
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Around the midpoint, short detour
2.5 mi from route
~6 min detour
mile 81.3
Petersburg, Virginia
+18048359630
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
1 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
near mile 78.5
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
near mile 162.6
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.8
0
$17.07
$7.80
Efficient EV
40.7
0
$14.23
$6.50
EV Truck/SUV
65
0
$22.76
$10.41
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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 16, 2026
Origin
Clarksville, VA
Evening
in Clarksville on Friday
Local time
8:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
East Hampton, VA
Evening
in East Hampton on Friday
Local time
8:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Hopewell, VA
81 mi in
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
2 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
3h 25m 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 Clarksville, VA to East Hampton, VA covers 162.6 miles and takes about 3h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, Virginia Avenue, James River Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 81.3 miles from Clarksville, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.36 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 is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 162.6 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: at 27.6 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 84 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Clarksville, VA to East Hampton, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Historic Old Towne Petersburg along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Petersburg National Battlefield, Fort Monroe National Monument and Colonial National Historical Park.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
