The drive from Lexington, KY to Hodgenville, KY covers 87.5 miles and takes about 1h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bluegrass Parkway, New Haven Road, Bardstown Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.2 miles on Bluegrass Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.68 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
43.8 miles from Lexington, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 87.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Lexington, KY to Hodgenville, KY covers 87.5 miles and takes about 1h 50m, 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 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Bluegrass Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 50.2 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 early in the drive near Gainesway Drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 50m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Gainesway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (KY 1974 / Tates Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 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
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|KY 1974 / Tates Creek Road
Turn right onto KY 1974 / Tates Creek Road
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
64.7 mi into trip|~1h 15m in|US 31E Truck
Take the exit onto US 31E Truck toward Bardstown, New Haven
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Bardstown, New Haven
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 Hodgenville, KY, road signs point toward Elizabethtown, Bardstown and New Haven.
Elizabethtown
13.9 mi in|~20m
Bardstown
64.7 mi in|~1h 15m|via US 31E Truck
New Haven
64.7 mi in|~1h 15m|via US 31E Truck
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Bluegrass Parkway
50.2 mi
53m
New Haven Road
10.3 mi
15m
Bardstown Road
10 mi
14m
New Circle Road
5.8 mi
7m
Versailles Road
4.7 mi
6m
North Main Street
1.7 mi
2m
Lexington Road
1.3 mi
1m
Gainesway Drive
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Bluegrass Parkway
— 50.2 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, KY and Hodgenville, 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
1.3 mi·1 min·Lexington Road
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward Elizabethtown
10
Continue on Bluegrass Parkway
50 mi·53 min·Bluegrass Parkway
11
Take the exit onto US 31E Truck
0.3 mi·46 sec·US 31E Truck
Toward Bardstown, New Haven
12
At end of road, turn left onto US 31E
10 mi·15 min·New Haven Road
13
Continue on US 31E
1.7 mi·2 min·North Main Street
14
Continue on US 31E
10 mi·14 min·Bardstown Road
15
Continue on US 31E; KY 84
0.5 mi·46 sec·East Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
US 31E; KY 84; KY 210
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 43.8 miles from Lexington, KY, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.2 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 19 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.8 miles or 53m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hodgenville, 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 87.5 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Lexington, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Bluegrass Parkway for about 50.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.8 mi from Lexington, KY
· 53m into the drive
The midpoint is around 43.8 miles from Lexington, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Hodgenville, KY
The final approach into Hodgenville, 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.
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
For over a century people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. His early life on Kentucky's frontier shaped...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.68 one way
$27.36 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$15.02
$30.04
premium
$4.89
$16.84
$33.68
diesel
$5.61
$19.32
$38.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.3
0
$9.19
$4.20
Efficient EV
21.9
0
$7.66
$3.50
EV Truck/SUV
35
0
$12.25
$5.60
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Afternoon
in Lexington on Friday
Local time
4:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hodgenville, KY
Afternoon
in Hodgenville on Friday
Local time
4:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Bloomfield, KY
44 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
21 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
1h 50m 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 Hodgenville, KY covers 87.5 miles and takes about 1h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Bluegrass Parkway, New Haven Road, Bardstown Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.8 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 $13.68 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 1h 50m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Gainesway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (KY 1974 / Tates Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Lexington, KY and Hodgenville, KY, road signs point toward Elizabethtown, Bardstown and New Haven.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park and 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.
