The drive from Meads, KY to Hazard, KY covers 122.5 miles and takes about 2h 24m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Louisa Road, KY 80, US 23 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.9 miles on Louisa Road.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.15 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
61.2 miles from Meads, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 122.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Meads, KY to Hazard, KY covers 122.5 miles and takes about 2h 24m, 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 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Louisa Road is the longest continuous segment at about 55.9 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 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Marsh Hill Drive.
Driving Effort5/10
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 122.5 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.1 miles (Marsh Hill Drive): Navigation decision point; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 75.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Marsh Hill Drive
Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive
Navigation decision point
6
9.5 mi into trip|~13m in
Take the exit toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 191
Toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland
5
75.3 mi into trip|~1h 28m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
121.7 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|KY 451
At end of road, turn left onto KY 451
Navigation decision point
5
122.3 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|Laurel Street
Turn left onto Laurel Street
Navigation decision point
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 Meads, KY to Hazard, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Ashland along the way.
Ashland
9.5 mi in|~13m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Louisa Road
55.9 mi
1h 3m
KY 80
42.6 mi
49m
US 23
9.6 mi
10m
I 64
4.4 mi
4m
KY 15
3.4 mi
3m
US Route 60
2.6 mi
4m
KY 180
1.8 mi
2m
KY 451
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Louisa Road
— 55.9 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meads, KY and Hazard, KY.
1
Start on this road
56 ft·4 sec·this road
2
Continue on Midland Trail Road
353 ft·16 sec·Midland Trail Road
3
Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive
110 ft·5 sec·Marsh Hill Drive
4
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi·29 sec·US Route 60
5
Continue on US 60
2.3 mi·3 min·US Route 60
6
Continue on KY 180
1.8 mi·2 min·KY 180
7
Turn left
0.6 mi·1 min
8
Merge onto I 64
4.4 mi·4 min·I 64
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 191Toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland
10
Turn right onto US 23
56 mi·1 hr 3 min·Louisa Road
11
Continue on US 23; US 460
9.6 mi·10 min·US 23; US 460
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
13
Keep slight left at fork
325 ft·11 sec
14
Turn right onto KY 80
42 mi·48 min·KY 80
15
Take the exit onto KY 80
0.3 mi·52 sec·KY 80
16
Turn right onto KY 15; KY 80
2.0 mi·2 min·KY 15; KY 80
17
Continue on KY 15
1.4 mi·1 min·KY 15
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
19
At end of road, turn left onto KY 451
0.4 mi·37 sec·KY 451
20
Continue on KY 15 Business
0.1 mi·12 sec·Memorial Drive
21
Turn right onto KY 1762
0.2 mi·33 sec·L O Davis Drive
22
Turn left onto Laurel Street
0.2 mi·43 sec·Laurel Street
23
Arrive at destination
Laurel 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 61.2 miles from Meads, KY, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.9 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 27 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.2 miles or 1h 12m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hazard, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Meads, 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 Meads, KY
This is one driving day of about 122.5 miles and 2h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Meads, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Louisa Road for about 55.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 61.2 mi from Meads, KY
· 1h 12m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.15 one way
$38.30 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$21.03
$42.06
premium
$4.89
$23.57
$47.15
diesel
$5.61
$27.05
$54.09
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: 42.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.8
0
$12.86
$5.88
Efficient EV
30.6
0
$10.72
$4.90
EV Truck/SUV
49
0
$17.15
$7.84
Gas CO2
43 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
Meads, KY
Afternoon
in Meads on Friday
Local time
3:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hazard, KY
Afternoon
in Hazard on Friday
Local time
3:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
29 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 24m 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 Meads, KY to Hazard, KY covers 122.5 miles and takes about 2h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Louisa Road, KY 80, US 23. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61.2 miles from Meads, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.15 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 122.5 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 0.1 miles (Marsh Hill Drive): Navigation decision point; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 75.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Meads, KY to Hazard, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Ashland along the way.
