Drive Time
8h 33m
Distance
444.7 mi
716 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$71
one way
The drive from East Hampton, VA to Big Stone Gap, VA covers 444.7 miles and takes about 8h 33m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on East Mercury Boulevard, I 64 West, I 295 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $71.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
222.3 miles from East Hampton, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 16m into the drive .
Expect a 8h 33m drive with frequent turns across 444.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 33m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from East Hampton, VA to Big Stone Gap, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Mercury Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 64 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 295 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 295 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 58 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cummings Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Valley Street Northwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between East Hampton, VA and Big Stone Gap, VA.
Start on Southerland Drive
Turn left onto East Mercury Boulevard
Take the ramp slight right toward I 64 West, SR 134 North: Williamsburg, Richmond
Keep slight left
Take the exit slight right toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
Keep slight right to continue on I 295 North: Washington
Merge slight left onto Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Keep slight right to continue on I 64 West: Charlottesville
Merge slight left onto I 64 West: Charlottesville
Keep slight left
Continue straight
Keep slight left
Take the exit slight right toward US 58 Alternate, VA 75: Abingdon, South Holston Dam
Turn right onto Cummings Street
At the end of the road, turn left onto Valley Street Northwest
At the end of the road, turn right onto Russell Road Northwest
Turn slight right onto Porterfield Highway
Continue on US 19
Turn left onto US Highway 58
Continue on Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Continue on Castlewood Drive
Continue on Norton Coeburn Road
Take the exit straight toward VA 23 South, VA 58 West Alternate
Merge slight left onto Orby Cantrell Highway
Take the exit slight right toward SR 610: Big Stone Gap
Turn right onto Powell Valley Road
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Powell Valley Road
Exit the roundabout onto Powell Valley Road
Continue on 4th Avenue East
Arrive at your destination
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 98 miles or 1h 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 222.3 miles or 4h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 222.3 miles or 4h 16m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Big Stone Gap, VA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving East Hampton, 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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from East Hampton, VA
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Big Stone Gap, VA
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 222.3 mi from East Hampton, VA · 4h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
222 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Winston-Salem, NCNight 1
222 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Winston-Salem, NC after about 222 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 98 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 222.3 miles from East Hampton, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 222 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
The final approach into Big Stone Gap, VA 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 Big Stone Gap, VA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Big Stone Gap, VA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$71.17 one way
$142.34 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $77.54 | $155.08 |
| premium | $4.78 | $83.65 | $167.31 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $98.80 | $197.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$71
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$201–$311
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 155.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $47 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 133.4 | 1 | $46.69 | $21.35 |
| Efficient EV | 111.2 | 1 | $38.91 | $17.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 177.9 | 2 | $62.26 | $28.46 |
Gas CO2
156 kg
EV CO2
52 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Afternoon in East Hampton on Saturday
Local time
4:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Afternoon in Big Stone Gap on Saturday
Local time
4:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
90°F
Winston-Salem, NC
222 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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