Origin
Paintsville, KY
Late night in Paintsville on Saturday
Local time
2:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paintsville, KY to Meads, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
60 mi
97 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paintsville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Meads, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Paintsville, KY to Meads, KY covers 60 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 23, I 64, US Route 60 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 48.6 miles on US 23. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 60 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 12m highway drive covering 60 miles, with most of the trip on US 23 and I 64. The longest continuous stretch is about 48.6 miles on US 23.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 23 is the longest continuous segment at about 48.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 23 and I 64. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near KY 40 / 3rd Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 12m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (KY 40 / 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 51.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 55.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KY 40 / 3rd Street
Turn left onto KY 40 / 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
51.1 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
55.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward KY 180, US 60: Cannonsburg, Ashland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 185
Toward KY 180, US 60: Cannonsburg, Ashland
4
60 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
Marsh Hill Drive
Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive
Navigation decision point
4
60 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
Midland Trail Road
Turn left onto Midland Trail Road
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 Paintsville, KY to Meads, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Ashland along the way.
Ashland
55.8 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 23 | 48.6 mi | 55m |
| I 64 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| US Route 60 | 2 mi | 3m |
| 3rd Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| KY 180 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| KY 321 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Court Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Midland Trail Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 23
— 48.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paintsville, KY and Meads, KY.
1
Start on Court Street
495 ft
·
26 sec
·
Court Street
2
Turn left onto KY 40
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
3rd Street
3
Turn right onto KY 321
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
KY 321
4
Turn right onto US 23
49 mi
·
55 min
·
US 23
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
6
Merge onto I 64
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
I 64
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 185
Toward KY 180, US 60: Cannonsburg, Ashland
8
Turn right onto KY 180
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
KY 180
9
Continue on US 60
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
US Route 60
10
Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
Marsh Hill Drive
11
Turn left onto Midland Trail Road
410 ft
·
19 sec
·
Midland Trail Road
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30 mi from Paintsville, KY · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30 miles from Paintsville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Meads, KY
The final approach into Meads, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.38 one way
$18.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.30 | $20.60 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.55 | $23.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.25 | $26.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18 | 0 | $6.30 | $2.88 |
| Efficient EV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24 | 0 | $8.40 | $3.84 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Meads, KY
Late night in Meads on Saturday
Local time
2:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 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 12m 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 Paintsville, KY to Meads, KY covers 60 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 23, I 64, US Route 60. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30 miles from Paintsville, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.38 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 12m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (KY 40 / 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 51.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 55.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Paintsville, KY to Meads, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Ashland along the way.
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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