The drive from Lexington, KY to Buckner, KY covers 78.7 miles and takes about 1h 36m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, Frankfort Road, New Circle Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 38.4 miles on I 64.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.30 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
39.3 miles from Lexington, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 78.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Lexington, KY to Buckner, KY covers 78.7 miles and takes about 1h 36m, 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 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 64 is the longest continuous segment at about 38.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Gainesway Drive.
Driving Effort6/10
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 78.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 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.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Gainesway Drive
Turn right onto Gainesway Drive
Navigation decision point
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.
6
69.8 mi into trip|~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward KY 146: Anchorage, Pewee Valley
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 30
Toward KY 146: Anchorage, Pewee Valley
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 Buckner, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Pewee Valley along the way.
Pewee Valley
69.8 mi in|~1h 22m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
38.4 mi
41m
Frankfort Road
6 mi
6m
New Circle Road
5.8 mi
7m
Lagrange Road
5.5 mi
8m
Versailles Road
5.5 mi
7m
Gene Snyder Freeway
4.5 mi
5m
Lexington Road
3.6 mi
4m
La Grange Road
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 38.4 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, KY and Buckner, 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 5BToward US 60 West: VersaillesUse 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
38 mi·41 min·I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
16
Merge onto I 265; KY 841
4.5 mi·5 min·Gene Snyder Freeway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·51 sec
Exit 30Toward KY 146: Anchorage, Pewee Valley
18
Turn right onto La Grange Road
1.3 mi·1 min·La Grange Road
19
Continue on KY 146
0.3 mi·22 sec·Lagrange Road
20
Continue on KY 146
0.9 mi·1 min·La Grange Road
21
Continue on KY 146
1.2 mi·1 min·Lagrange Road
22
Turn left onto KY 22; KY 146
196 ft·6 sec·Dogwood Lane
23
Turn right onto KY 146
4.0 mi·5 min·Lagrange Road
24
Continue on KY 146
0.8 mi·1 min·W Highway 146
25
Turn left onto Old Cedar Point Road
76 ft·3 sec·Old Cedar Point Road
26
Arrive at destination
Old Cedar Point 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 39.3 miles from Lexington, KY, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 38.4 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 17 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.3 miles or 49m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buckner, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lexington, KY
This is one driving day of about 78.7 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Lexington, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 38.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.3 mi from Lexington, KY
· 49m into the drive
The midpoint is around 39.3 miles from Lexington, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Buckner, KY
The final approach into Buckner, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
14 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 2.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.30 one way
$24.61 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$13.51
$27.02
premium
$4.89
$15.15
$30.29
diesel
$5.61
$17.38
$34.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.6
0
$8.26
$3.78
Efficient EV
19.7
0
$6.89
$3.15
EV Truck/SUV
31.5
0
$11.02
$5.04
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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
Morning
in Lexington on Friday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Buckner, KY
Morning
in Buckner on Friday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
1h 36m 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 Buckner, KY covers 78.7 miles and takes about 1h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, Frankfort Road, New Circle Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.3 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 $12.30 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.7 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Gainesway Drive): Navigation decision point; 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.
On the drive from Lexington, KY to Buckner, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Pewee Valley along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Camp Nelson National Monument.
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.
