Origin
Lexington, KY
Afternoon in Lexington on Saturday
Local time
4:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lexington, KY to Elk Creek, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
61.2 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk Creek, KY
Niki Clark
Trip Overview
This 61.2-mile drive from Lexington, KY to Elk Creek, KY is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 16 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it offers a convenient option for a quick excursion within the Southeast region of Kentucky. With an estimated fuel cost of just $10, this route is budget-friendly. You'll primarily navigate on I 64, Taylorsville Road, and Frankfort Road, making it a mixed driving experience. This trip is ideal if you're looking for an uncomplicated drive with minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 | 25.3 mi | 27m |
| Taylorsville Road | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Frankfort Road | 6 mi | 6m |
| New Circle Road | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Versailles Road | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Lexington Road | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Shelbyville Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Frankfort Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 25.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, KY and Elk Creek, KY.
1
Start on Coldstream Drive
261 ft
·
11 sec
·
Coldstream Drive
2
Turn right onto Gainesway Drive
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Gainesway Drive
3
Turn right onto KY 1974
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Tates Creek Road
4
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward KY 4 West: New Circle Road
5
Merge onto KY 4
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 5B
Toward US 60 West: Versailles
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on US 60
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Versailles Road
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 60
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Lexington Road
9
Turn slight right onto US 60
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Versailles Bypass
10
Continue on US 60; US 62
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Frankfort Road
11
Continue on US 60
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Frankfort Highway
12
Continue on US 60
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Versailles Road
13
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
14
Merge onto I 64
25 mi
·
27 min
·
I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 32
Toward KY 55: Shelbyville, Taylorsville
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
361 ft
·
14 sec
17
Turn left onto KY 55
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Taylorsville Road
18
Continue on KY 55
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Shelbyville Road
19
Continue on KY 1633
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
KY 1633
20
Arrive at destination
KY 1633
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.6 miles from Lexington, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 52.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge onto KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 60 West: Versailles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward US 60 West: Versailles
5
26.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 64
Merge onto I 64
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward KY 55: Shelbyville, Taylorsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 32
Toward KY 55: Shelbyville, Taylorsville
5
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.57 one way
$19.14 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.51 | $21.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.78 | $23.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.43 | $2.94 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.57 | $3.92 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Elk Creek, KY
Afternoon in Elk Creek on Saturday
Local time
4:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1h 16m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this drive is predominantly a mixed one, with 42% of the journey taking place on highways. Expect to spend a significant portion of your time on I 64, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 25.3 miles. As you transition off the interstate onto roads like Taylorsville Road and Frankfort Road, the driving experience will likely become more local. This blend means you'll experience both faster highway speeds and potentially slower, more winding sections as you approach Elk Creek.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.3 mi on I 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near KY 4 / New Circle Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 61.2 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 1.7 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.7 miles (I 64): 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.
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 Lexington, KY to Elk Creek, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Taylorsville along the way.
Taylorsville
52 mi in
|
~1h 2m
About the Cities
Starting in Lexington, KY
Full guide →Lexington is the second largest city in Kentucky, located in the Bluegrass Region. Known as the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington has traditionally been dominated by the horse industry and is also heavily influenced by the University of Kentucky, the state's flagship university and the largest employer in the city. The horse industry has greatly influenced Lexington's culture and scenic beauty; the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University contribute to a college town atmosphere with a richer and more diverse culture than some might expect from its size and location. Lexington's compact central downtown district is surrounded by historic neighborhoods. Lexington is in the heart of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and is still home to hundreds of horse farms.
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 1h 16m. Total distance: 61.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.3 miles on I 64. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Elk Creek, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.7 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elk Creek, KY before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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