Origin
Elkfork, KY
Late night in Elkfork on Friday
Local time
12:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elkfork, KY to Richmond, KY
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
2h 4m
Distance
95.7 mi
154 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 55m
★
6 AM
2h 4m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 10m
12 PM
2h 8m
3 PM
2h 11m
5 PM
2h 21m
8 PM
1h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elkfork, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Richmond, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elkfork, KY to Richmond, KY covers 95.7 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Mountain Parkway, Irvine Road, Staffordsville Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 40 miles on Mountain Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.96 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
47.9 miles from Elkfork, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 95.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Elkfork, KY to Richmond, KY covers 95.7 miles and takes about 2h 4m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Mountain Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 40 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 9.8 miles in near US 460; KY 7.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 4m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.8 miles (US 460; KY 7): Navigation decision point; at 64.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 64.7 miles (KY 15 / Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 460; KY 7
At end of road, turn right onto US 460; KY 7
Navigation decision point
5
64.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
64.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
KY 15 / Main Street
Turn left onto KY 15 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
71.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
|
KY 89 / Winchester Road
At end of road, turn left onto KY 89 / Winchester Road
Navigation decision point
7
78.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 38m in
|
KY 52 / Richmond Road
At end of road, turn right onto KY 52 / Richmond Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Parkway | 40 mi | 42m |
| Irvine Road | 13 mi | 19m |
| Staffordsville Road | 9.8 mi | 17m |
| Jackson Road | 8.6 mi | 9m |
| Richmond Road | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| Spout Springs Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Winchester Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Main Street | 4.7 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Mountain Parkway
— 40 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elkfork, KY and Richmond, KY.
1
Start on KY 172
9.8 mi
·
17 min
·
Staffordsville Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 460; KY 7
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 460; KY 7
3
Turn left onto US 460
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto KY 205
8.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Jackson Road
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
6
Merge onto Mountain Parkway
40 mi
·
42 min
·
Mountain Parkway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
8
Keep slight left at fork
91 ft
·
7 sec
9
Turn left onto KY 15
508 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on Irvine Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Irvine Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Continue on KY 82
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Spout Springs Road
12
At end of road, turn left onto KY 89
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Winchester Road
13
Turn right onto KY 499
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Joseph Proctor Memorial Bypass
14
At end of road, turn right onto KY 52
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Richmond Road
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on KY 52
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Irvine Road
16
Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
17
Turn right onto KY 388
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
North 2nd Street
18
Arrive at destination
KY 388
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 47.9 miles from Elkfork, KY, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40 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 21 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.9 miles or 59m 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 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richmond, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elkfork, KY 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 Elkfork, KY
This is one driving day of about 95.7 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Elkfork, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Mountain Parkway for about 40 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 47.9 mi from Elkfork, KY · 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
48 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 47.9 miles from Elkfork, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Richmond, KY
The final approach into Richmond, KY 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 Richmond, KY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.96 one way
$29.92 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
34 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $16.43 | $32.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $18.42 | $36.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.13 | $42.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 28.7 | 0 | $10.05 | $4.59 |
| Efficient EV | 23.9 | 0 | $8.37 | $3.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 38.3 | 0 | $13.40 | $6.12 |
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Destination
Richmond, KY
Late night in Richmond on Friday
Local time
12:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
1 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 4m 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 Elkfork, KY to Richmond, KY covers 95.7 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Mountain Parkway, Irvine Road, Staffordsville Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 47.9 miles from Elkfork, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.96 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 straightforward 2h 4m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.8 miles (US 460; KY 7): Navigation decision point; at 64.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 64.7 miles (KY 15 / Main Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Elkfork, KY to Richmond, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Richmond, KY
More from Elkfork, KY
More trips to Richmond, KY
Explore more options from Elkfork, KY or browse trips ending in Richmond, KY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse KY road trips.