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Trip from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 38m

Distance

132.3 mi

213 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 28m ★
6 AM
2h 39m
8 AM
3h 0m
10 AM
2h 46m
12 PM
2h 44m
3 PM
2h 47m
5 PM
2h 59m
8 PM
2h 32m

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

city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States

Nicholasville, KY

Wikimedia Commons

county seat of Breckinridge County, Kentucky, United States

Hardinsburg, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY covers 132.3 miles and takes about 2h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West Oak Street, North 3rd Street, Keene Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.68 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

66.1 miles from Nicholasville, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 38m. Total distance: 132.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 38m drive with frequent turns across 132.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Oak Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY is easy. At 2h 38m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Oak Street
North 3rd Street
Keene Road
Pinchard Pike
Keene-Versailles Road
Pinckard Pike
Troy Pike
Bluegrass Parkway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: West Oak Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nicholasville, KY and Hardinsburg, KY.

1

Start on North Main Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · North Main Street
2

Turn left onto West Oak Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · West Oak Street
3

At the end of the road, turn right onto North 3rd Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · North 3rd Street
4

Continue on Keene Road

5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road
5

Continue on Keene Road

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Keene Road
6

Turn left onto Pinchard Pike

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Pinchard Pike
7

Continue on Keene-Versailles Road

2.1 mi · 2 min · Keene-Versailles Road
8

Continue on Pinckard Pike

4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike
9

At the end of the road, turn right onto Troy Pike

1.3 mi · 2 min · Troy Pike
10

Take the ramp slight left

0.3 mi · 45 sec
11

Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway

68 mi · 1 hr 12 min · Bluegrass Parkway
12

Keep slight right

0.4 mi · 52 sec
13

Merge slight left

0.2 mi · 15 sec
14

Take the exit slight right toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown

0.3 mi · 39 sec · US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown
15

Keep slight left to continue on US 62: Historic Downtown Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown

213 ft · 8 sec · US 62: Historic Downtown Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown
16

Turn left onto North Mulberry Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Mulberry Street
17

Turn right onto Ring Road

4.0 mi · 6 min · Ring Road
18

Turn right onto North Dixie Highway

4.5 mi · 7 min · North Dixie Highway
19

Keep slight right to continue on North Dixie Highway

0.5 mi · 49 sec · North Dixie Highway
20

Turn left onto Joe Prather Highway

10 mi · 12 min · Joe Prather Highway
21

Continue on Flaherty Road

2.4 mi · 2 min · Flaherty Road
22

Turn left

24 mi · 27 min
23

Turn right onto State Highway N259

1.6 mi · 2 min · State Highway N259
24

Continue on East 3rd Street

0.5 mi · 48 sec · East 3rd Street
25

Arrive at your destination

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 66.1 miles from Nicholasville, KY, or about 1h 19m into the drive.

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 29 miles or 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 66.1 miles or 1h 19m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 10m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Nicholasville, 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 Nicholasville, KY

This is one driving day of about 132.3 miles and 2h 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Nicholasville, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 66.1 mi from Nicholasville, KY · 1h 19m into the drive

Downtown Bloomfield, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bloomfield, KY

66 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

Versailles, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomfield, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 66.1 miles from Nicholasville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Hardinsburg, KY

The final approach into Hardinsburg, 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 Hardinsburg, 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

$20.68 one way

$41.37 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 46 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $22.71 $45.42
premium $4.89 $25.46 $50.92
diesel $5.61 $29.21 $58.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 46.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 39.7 0 $13.89 $6.35
Efficient EV 33.1 0 $11.58 $5.29
EV Truck/SUV 52.9 0 $18.52 $8.47

Gas CO2

46 kg

EV CO2

15 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

Nicholasville, KY

Morning in Nicholasville on Saturday

Local time

9:14 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hardinsburg, KY

Morning in Hardinsburg on Saturday

Local time

8:14 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

69°F

Bloomfield, KY

66 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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

2 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 38m 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 Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY covers 132.3 miles and takes about 2h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West Oak Street, North 3rd Street, Keene Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 66.1 miles from Nicholasville, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.68 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY is easy. At 2h 38m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Nicholasville, KY to Hardinsburg, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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