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Trip from Florence, KY to Paintsville, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 17m

Distance

179.5 mi

289 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$28

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
3h 6m ★
6 AM
3h 18m
8 AM
3h 42m
10 AM
3h 26m
12 PM
3h 24m
3 PM
3h 27m
5 PM
3h 40m
8 PM
3h 11m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Download GPX
city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States

Florence, KY

Wikimedia Commons

city in Kentucky, United States

Paintsville, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Florence, KY to Paintsville, KY covers 179.5 miles and takes about 3h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Mountain Parkway, I 71, I 64 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 76.7 miles on Mountain Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.06 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

89.7 miles from Florence, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 38m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Mountain Parkway 76.7 mi 1h 22m
I 71 68.5 mi 1h 13m
I 64 16.6 mi 18m
New Paintsville Road 12.1 mi 13m
KY 40 2.1 mi 3m
US 42 1.3 mi 2m
Rock House Road 0.9 mi <1m
Wheeler Branch Road 0.6 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Mountain Parkway — 76.7 mi, about 1h 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Florence, KY and Paintsville, KY.

1

Start on Main Street

28 ft · 3 sec · Main Street
2

Turn right onto US 42; US 127

1.1 mi · 1 min · US 42; US 127
Use the right lane.
3

Continue on US 42; US 127

0.2 mi · 27 sec · US 42; US 127
4

Turn left

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louisville Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto I 71; I 75

68 mi · 1 hr 13 min · I 71; I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit onto I 64

17 mi · 18 min · I 64
Exit 111 Toward I 64 East: Winchester, Ashland Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto Mountain Parkway

77 mi · 1 hr 22 min · Mountain Parkway
Toward Mountain Parkway east , Prestonsburg, Campton
8

Turn left onto US 460

0.9 mi · 58 sec · Rock House Road
9

Continue on US 460

0.6 mi · 43 sec · Wheeler Branch Road
10

Continue on US 460

12 mi · 13 min · New Paintsville Road
11

Continue on KY 40

2.1 mi · 3 min · KY 40
12

Keep slight left at fork onto KY 40

0.2 mi · 24 sec · 3rd Street
13

Turn right onto Court Street

495 ft · 21 sec · Court Street
14

Arrive at destination

Court Street

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 89.7 miles from Florence, KY, or about 1h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76.7 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 39 miles or 43m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 89.7 miles or 1h 38m 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 40m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Florence, 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 Florence, KY

This is one driving day of about 179.5 miles and 3h 17m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Florence, KY.
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 Mountain Parkway for about 76.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Jeffersonville, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Jeffersonville, KY

90 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

Cynthiana, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Jeffersonville, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 89.7 miles from Florence, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Mountain Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 76.7 miles.

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

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Matsuya Japanese Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Florence, Kentucky

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+18597461199

Visit website

123 Cafe

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Paintsville, Kentucky

0.5 mi

Twin Peaks

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Florence, Kentucky

1.4 mi

Top Coffee Stop

Velocity Bike & Bean

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Florence, Kentucky

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+18593718356

Visit website

Woodhouse Coffee Company

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Winchester, Kentucky

2.1 mi

Matsuya Japanese Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30

Florence, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+18597461199

Visit website

123 Cafe

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 179.5

Paintsville, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+16067896988

Twin Peaks

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour $20 to $30

Florence, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–12 pm

+18598170555

Visit website

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour $20 to $30

Florence, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+18592828865

Visit website

O'Charley's Restaurant & Bar

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately

Florence, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+18595256622

Visit website

The Hall on Main Coffee & Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.4 mi from route ~9 min detour $1 to $10 mile 89.7

Winchester, Kentucky

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+18593105185

Asian Place Chinese Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.7 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20

Fort Mitchell, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+18595788707

Visit website

La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

5 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20 mile 115.4

Slade, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+16066630330

Visit website

Velocity Bike & Bean

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10

Florence, Kentucky

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+18593718356

Visit website

Woodhouse Coffee Company

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $1 to $10 mile 89.7

Winchester, Kentucky

Hours: 6 am–6 pm

+18599793377

Leestown Coffee House

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour $1 to $10 mile 64.1

Lexington, Kentucky

Hours: 6 am–4 pm

+18595545900

Visit website

Daniel Boone Coffee Shop

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

4.5 mi from route ~11 min detour $10 to $20 mile 115.4

Slade, Kentucky

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+16066632549

Visit website

Third Street Stuff

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 64.1

Lexington, Kentucky

Hours: 6:30 am–7:30 pm

+18592555301

Visit website

Old School Coffee

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 64.1

Lexington, Kentucky

Hours: 7 am–7 pm

+18593091968

Visit website

Chaotic Good: Coffee, Comics and Games

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 64.1

Lexington, Kentucky

Hours: 8:30 am–10 pm

+18593038668

Visit website

The Greenery: Coffee + Social Space

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 64.1

Lexington, Kentucky

Hours: 8 am–3 pm

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 86.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 42; US 127

Turn right onto US 42; US 127

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
1.3 mi into trip | ~2m in

Turn left toward I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louisville

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louis...
5
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 71; I 75

Merge onto I 71; I 75

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
70.2 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in | I 64

Take the exit onto I 64 toward I 64 East: Winchester, Ashland

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 111 Toward I 64 East: Winchester, Ashland
6
86.8 mi into trip | ~1h 35m in | Mountain Parkway

Keep slight right at fork onto Mountain Parkway toward Mountain Parkway east , Prestonsburg, Campton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Mountain Parkway east , Prestonsburg, Ca...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$28.06 one way

$56.13 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 63 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $30.81 $61.62
premium $4.89 $34.54 $69.09
diesel $5.61 $39.63 $79.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$28

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$53–$78

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 62.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 53.9 0 $18.85 $8.62
Efficient EV 44.9 0 $15.71 $7.18
EV Truck/SUV 71.8 0 $25.13 $11.49

Gas CO2

63 kg

EV CO2

21 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 18, 2026

Origin

Florence, KY

Afternoon in Florence on Saturday

Local time

2:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Partly Cloudy

S 6 to 10 mph 8% chance Live forecast

Destination

Paintsville, KY

Afternoon in Paintsville on Saturday

Local time

2:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

52°F

Jeffersonville, KY

90 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

14 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 17m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Camp Nelson National Monument

Camp Nelson National Monument

National Monument

The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops a...

21 mi from route ~53 min detour Free near mile 68.1
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

179.5 mi in 3h 17m, mostly highway — 76.7 mi of that is on Mountain Parkway.

92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 76.7 mi on Mountain Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Mountain Parkway and I 71. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 42; US 127.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 179.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 42; US 127): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles (I 71; I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Florence, KY and Paintsville, KY, road signs point toward Ashland, Mountain Parkway East, Prestonsburg and Campton.

Ashland

70.2 mi in | ~1h 16m | via I 64

Mountain Parkway East

86.8 mi in | ~1h 35m | via Mountain Parkway

Prestonsburg

86.8 mi in | ~1h 35m | via Mountain Parkway

Campton

86.8 mi in | ~1h 35m | via Mountain Parkway

About the Cities

Starting in Florence, KY

Full guide →

Florence is a city of 33,000 people (2019) in Kentucky's Northern Ohio River Region, near Cincinnati. Florence is well known in surrounding cities for a water tower visible from I-71/I-75 that reads "Florence Y'all".

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 17m. Total distance: 179.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 76.7 miles on Mountain Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 42; US 127): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles (I 71; I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Paintsville, KY, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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