Trip from Lexington, KY to Van Lear, KY

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 22m

Distance

119.6 mi

193 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min

4 AM

2h 13m ★

6 AM

2h 22m

8 AM

2h 42m

10 AM

2h 29m

12 PM

2h 27m

3 PM

2h 30m

5 PM

2h 41m

8 PM

2h 16m

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

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Van Lear, KY

Murat IŞIK

Trip Overview

The drive from Lexington, KY to Van Lear, KY covers 119.6 miles and takes about 2h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Mountain Parkway, New Paintsville Road, I 64 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 76.7 miles on Mountain Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.70 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

59.8 miles from Lexington, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 22m. Total distance: 119.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 22m highway drive covering 119.6 miles, with most of the trip on Mountain Parkway and New Paintsville Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 76.7 miles on Mountain Parkway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

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 76.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Mountain Parkway and New Paintsville Road. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Gainesway Drive.

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 119.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 (Gainesway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 6.6 miles (US 60 / Winchester Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.1 miles (Mountain Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Gainesway Drive

Turn left onto Gainesway Drive

Navigation decision point

6.6 mi into trip | ~11m in | US 60 / Winchester Road

At end of road, turn right onto US 60 / Winchester Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

21.1 mi into trip | ~29m 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...

111.2 mi into trip | ~2h 7m in | US 460

Take the exit onto US 460

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

119.6 mi into trip | ~2h 22m in | Possum Hollow Road

Keep slight left at fork onto Possum Hollow Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Lexington, KY and Van Lear, KY, road signs point toward Mountain Parkway East, Prestonsburg and Campton.

Mountain Parkway East

21.1 mi in | ~29m | via Mountain Parkway

Prestonsburg

21.1 mi in | ~29m | via Mountain Parkway

Campton

21.1 mi in | ~29m | via Mountain Parkway

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Mountain Parkway	76.7 mi	1h 22m
New Paintsville Road	11.9 mi	13m
I 64	9.7 mi	10m
Man O War Boulevard	5.3 mi	8m
US 460	4.4 mi	5m
Winchester Road	3.1 mi	4m
KY 302	2.8 mi	6m
Haley Road	1.4 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Mountain Parkway — 76.7 mi, about 1h 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, KY and Van Lear, KY.

Start on Coldstream Drive

261 ft · 13 sec · Coldstream Drive

Turn left onto Gainesway Drive

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Gainesway Drive

Turn left onto Pimlico Parkway

1.2 mi · 2 min · Pimlico Parkway

Turn left onto Man O War Boulevard

5.3 mi · 8 min · Man O War Boulevard

Use the left lane.

At end of road, turn right onto US 60

3.1 mi · 4 min · Winchester Road

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto KY 859

1.4 mi · 2 min · Haley Road

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Merge onto I 64

9.7 mi · 10 min · I 64

Keep slight right at fork onto Mountain Parkway

77 mi · 1 hr 22 min · Mountain Parkway

Toward Mountain Parkway east , Prestonsburg, Campton

Turn left onto US 460

0.9 mi · 58 sec · Rock House Road

Continue on US 460

0.6 mi · 43 sec · Wheeler Branch Road

Continue on US 460

12 mi · 13 min · New Paintsville Road

Take the exit onto US 460

4.4 mi · 5 min · US 460

Turn left onto KY 1428

1.2 mi · 1 min · KY 1428

Turn right onto KY 302

2.8 mi · 6 min · KY 302

Turn slight left onto Miller Creek Road

488 ft · 21 sec · Miller Creek Road

Keep slight left at fork onto Possum Hollow Road

43 ft · 1 sec · Possum Hollow Road

Arrive at destination

Possum Hollow Road

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 59.8 miles from Lexington, KY, or about 1h 11m 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 26 miles or 35m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 59.8 miles or 1h 11m 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 52m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Lexington, 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 Lexington, KY

This is one driving day of about 119.6 miles and 2h 22m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Lexington, KY.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

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.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 59.8 mi from Lexington, KY · 1h 11m into the drive

city in Breathitt County, Kentucky, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Jackson, KY

60 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

Mount Sterling, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Jackson, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 59.8 miles from Lexington, 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.

Arriving in Van Lear, KY

The final approach into Van Lear, 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 Van Lear, 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

$18.70 one way

$37.40 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 42 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$20.53	$41.06
premium	$4.89	$23.02	$46.03
diesel	$5.61	$26.41	$52.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 41.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	35.9	$12.56	$5.74
Efficient EV	29.9	$10.46	$4.78
EV Truck/SUV	47.8	$16.74	$7.65

Gas CO2

42 kg

EV CO2

14 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 15, 2026

Origin

Lexington, KY

Afternoon in Lexington on Thursday

Local time

2:31 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Van Lear, KY

Afternoon in Van Lear on Thursday

Local time

2:31 PM

EDT

Current temp

77°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

4 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 22m 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 Lexington, KY to Van Lear, KY covers 119.6 miles and takes about 2h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Mountain Parkway, New Paintsville Road, I 64. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 59.8 miles from Lexington, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.70 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.