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Trip from Georgetown, 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

2h 18m

Distance

101.8 mi

164 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 8m ★
6 AM
2h 18m
8 AM
2h 37m
10 AM
2h 25m
12 PM
2h 23m
3 PM
2h 26m
5 PM
2h 36m
8 PM
2h 12m

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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Downtown Georgetown, KY, KY

Georgetown, KY

Wikimedia Commons

city in Kentucky, United States

Paintsville, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Georgetown, KY to Paintsville, KY covers 101.8 miles and takes about 2h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Pine Mountain Road, Martin Road, East Highway 80 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.8 miles on Pine Mountain Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.92 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

50.9 miles from Georgetown, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 18m. Total distance: 101.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Georgetown, KY to Paintsville, KY covers 101.8 miles and takes about 2h 18m, 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 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pine Mountain Road is the longest continuous segment at about 15.8 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 2.6 miles in near KY 179.

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 18m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (KY 179): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 10.7 miles (US 119 / United States Highway 119): Navigation decision point; at 34.2 miles (KY 15; KY 931): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | KY 179

Turn sharp right onto KY 179

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
10.7 mi into trip | ~18m in | US 119 / United States Highway 119

At end of road, turn right onto US 119 / United States Highway 119

Navigation decision point

5
34.2 mi into trip | ~53m in | KY 15; KY 931

Turn left onto KY 15; KY 931

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
86.1 mi into trip | ~1h 57m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
98.7 mi into trip | ~2h 12m in | KY 321

At end of road, turn right onto KY 321

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pine Mountain Road 15.8 mi 26m
Martin Road 14.5 mi 16m
East Highway 80 11.9 mi 13m
US 23 11.4 mi 13m
KY 160 10.9 mi 16m
KY 15 9 mi 10m
KY 179 7.5 mi 13m
Red Fox Road 3.9 mi 4m
Longest stretch: Pine Mountain Road — 15.8 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on KY 38

2.6 mi · 4 min · KY 38
2

Turn sharp right onto KY 179

7.0 mi · 12 min · KY 179
3

Turn right onto KY 179

0.5 mi · 51 sec · KY 179
4

Continue on KY 179

305 ft · 12 sec · Gilley Hollow Road
5

Turn left onto KY 179

0.5 mi · 53 sec · College Road
6

At end of road, turn right onto US 119

2.6 mi · 3 min · United States Highway 119
7

Continue on US 119

2.1 mi · 2 min · West Johnson Street
8

Continue on US 119

0.1 mi · 7 sec · South Rasnick Road
9

Continue on US 119

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Coldiron Branch Road
10

Continue on US 119

16 mi · 26 min · Pine Mountain Road
11

Turn left onto KY 15

2.3 mi · 2 min · Whitesburg Bypass
12

Turn left onto KY 15; KY 931

9.0 mi · 10 min · KY 15; KY 931
Use the straight lane.
13

Continue on KY 15; KY 160

3.9 mi · 4 min · Red Fox Road
14

Turn right onto KY 160

11 mi · 16 min · KY 160
15

At end of road, turn right onto KY 160; KY 550

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Hindman Bypass
16

Continue on KY 160

1.4 mi · 2 min · Hindman Bypass
17

Turn right onto KY 80

12 mi · 13 min · East Highway 80
18

Continue on KY 80

15 mi · 16 min · Martin Road
19

Merge onto KY 80

331 ft · 11 sec · Water Gap Road
20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Use the left lane.
21

Merge onto US 23; US 460

11 mi · 13 min · US 23; US 460
22

Turn right onto KY 1428

0.8 mi · 1 min · KY 1428
23

Turn right

0.2 mi · 21 sec
24

At end of road, turn right onto KY 321

2.7 mi · 4 min · KY 321
25

Turn right onto KY 321 Business

0.3 mi · 37 sec · KY 321 Business
26

Turn left onto 2nd Street

356 ft · 21 sec · 2nd Street
27

Turn left onto Court Street

136 ft · 5 sec · Court Street
28

Arrive at destination

Court Street

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 50.9 miles from Georgetown, KY, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.8 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 22 miles or 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 50.9 miles or 1h 14m 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 54m

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 Georgetown, 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 Georgetown, KY

This is one driving day of about 101.8 miles and 2h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Georgetown, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Pine Mountain Road for about 15.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 50.9 mi from Georgetown, KY · 1h 14m into the drive

Downtown Whitesburg, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Whitesburg, KY

51 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

Whitesburg, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Whitesburg, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 50.9 miles from Georgetown, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Paintsville, KY

The final approach into Paintsville, 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 Paintsville, KY.

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

123 Cafe

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Paintsville, Kentucky

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 101.8

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+16067896988

Billy Ray's Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

1.7 mi

Royal Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

1.7 mi

123 Cafe

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 101.8

Paintsville, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+16067896988

Billy Ray's Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.3

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

Hours: 7:30 am–8 pm

+16068861744

Visit website

Royal Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.3

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+16062300523

Visit website

Star City Cafe & Catering

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.3

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

+16068860106

Visit website

Yamato Steak House of Japan

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.3

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+16065064488

Visit website

Luigi's - Whitesburg, KY

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 29.1

Whitesburg, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+16064031151

Visit website

The Dinner Bucket Restaurant

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~5 min detour $50 to $10 mile 14.5

Benham, Kentucky

Hours: 4–8 pm

Lizzie B's Restaurant and Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20 mile 94.6

Prestonsburg, Kentucky

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+16068862844

Visit website

Kingdom Come State Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 14.5

Cumberland, Kentucky

Hours: 8:30 am–5 pm

+16065892478

Visit website

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.92 one way

$31.83 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $17.47 $34.95
premium $4.89 $19.59 $39.18
diesel $5.61 $22.48 $44.95

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30.5 0 $10.69 $4.89
Efficient EV 25.5 0 $8.91 $4.07
EV Truck/SUV 40.7 0 $14.25 $6.52

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 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 17, 2026

Origin

Georgetown, KY

Late night in Georgetown on Saturday

Local time

3:41 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Paintsville, KY

Late night in Paintsville on Saturday

Local time

3:41 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°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

20 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

2h 18m 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 Georgetown, KY to Paintsville, KY covers 101.8 miles and takes about 2h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Pine Mountain Road, Martin Road, East Highway 80. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 50.9 miles from Georgetown, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.92 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 18m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (KY 179): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 10.7 miles (US 119 / United States Highway 119): Navigation decision point; at 34.2 miles (KY 15; KY 931): Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Georgetown, KY to Paintsville, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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