Origin
Oak Grove, KY
Afternoon in Oak Grove on Saturday
Local time
3:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Grove, KY to Owensboro, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 53m
Distance
97.7 mi
157 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 46m
★
6 AM
1h 54m
8 AM
2h 11m
10 AM
2h 0m
12 PM
1h 58m
3 PM
2h 1m
5 PM
2h 10m
8 PM
1h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Grove, KY
Skyler Ewing
Owensboro, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Oak Grove, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 97.7 miles and takes about 1h 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 431, I 169, Western Kentucky Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 36.1 miles on US 431. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.27 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
48.8 miles from Oak Grove, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 431 | 36.1 mi | 44m |
| I 169 | 33.3 mi | 35m |
| Western Kentucky Parkway | 19.4 mi | 20m |
| I 24 | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Fort Campbell Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| KY 1031 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Thompsonville Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Frederica Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
US 431
— 36.1 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Grove, KY and Owensboro, KY.
1
Start on KY 911
108 ft
·
7 sec
·
Thompsonville Lane
2
Turn right onto US 41 Alternate
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Fort Campbell Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
4
Merge onto I 24
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 24
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 81
Toward I 169 North: Hopkinsville
6
Continue on I 169
33 mi
·
35 min
·
I 169
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 34A
Toward Elizabethtown
8
Merge onto Western Kentucky Parkway
19 mi
·
20 min
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 58
Toward US 431, KY 70: Drakesboro, Central City
10
Turn right onto US 431; KY 70
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
US 431; KY 70
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on KY 1031
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
KY 1031
12
Turn right onto US 431
32 mi
·
40 min
·
US 431
Use the right lane.
13
Arrive at destination
Frederica 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 48.8 miles from Oak Grove, KY, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 36.1 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 21 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.8 miles or 54m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Owensboro, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oak Grove, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Oak Grove, KY
This is one driving day of about 97.7 miles and 1h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Oak Grove, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 431 for about 36.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
49 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 48.8 miles from Oak Grove, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 7.2 and 65.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
7.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 169 North: Hopkinsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 81
Toward I 169 North: Hopkinsville
5
41 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward Elizabethtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 34A
Toward Elizabethtown
6
60.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 431, KY 70: Drakesboro, Central City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 58
Toward US 431, KY 70: Drakesboro, Central City
5
61.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
US 431; KY 70
Turn right onto US 431; KY 70
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
65.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
US 431
Turn right onto US 431
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.27 one way
$30.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
34 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $16.77 | $33.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $18.80 | $37.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.57 | $43.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 29.3 | 0 | $10.26 | $4.69 |
| Efficient EV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.55 | $3.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 39.1 | 0 | $13.68 | $6.25 |
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Destination
Owensboro, KY
Afternoon in Owensboro on Saturday
Local time
3:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
22 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 53m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
97.7 mi in 1h 53m, mostly highway — 36.1 mi of that is on US 431.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.1 mi on US 431.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 431 and I 169. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 7.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 53m 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: at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 41 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 60.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oak Grove, KY and Owensboro, KY, road signs point toward Elizabethtown and City.
Elizabethtown
41 mi in
|
~45m
City
60.9 mi in
|
~1h 7m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 97.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.1 miles on US 431. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 41 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 60.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Owensboro, KY before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Owensboro, KY
More trips to Owensboro, KY
Explore more options from Oak Grove, KY or browse trips ending in Owensboro, KY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse KY road trips.