The drive from Palmer, PA to Hempfield, PA covers 229.4 miles and takes about 4h 45m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike, PA 283, US 119 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 157.4 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
114.7 miles from Palmer, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 30m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 45m. Total distance: 229.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 45m highway drive covering 229.4 miles, with most of the trip on Pennsylvania Turnpike and PA 283. The longest continuous stretch is about 157.4 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pennsylvania Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 157.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and PA 283. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 13 miles in near US 40 / National Pike.
Driving Effort6/10
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 229.4 miles you will encounter 19 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 13 miles (US 40 / National Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
13 mi into trip|~28m in|US 40 / National Pike
Turn right onto US 40 / National Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
13.6 mi into trip|~30m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
42.9 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Take the ramp toward PATP, I 70, I 76
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PATP, I 70, I 76
8
200.7 mi into trip|~4h 5m in
Take the exit toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 247
Toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
6
201.2 mi into trip|~4h 8m in
Take the exit toward PA 283 East: Airport, Lancaster
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1A
Toward PA 283 East: Airport, Lancaster
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Palmer, PA and Hempfield, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Hershey and Lancaster.
Patp
42.9 mi in|~1h 11m
Hershey
200.7 mi in|~4h 5m
Lancaster
201.2 mi in|~4h 8m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike
157.4 mi
2h 53m
PA 283
21.8 mi
25m
US 119
15 mi
17m
Pleasant Valley Road
7.9 mi
13m
New Salem Road
7.7 mi
13m
PA 31
6 mi
9m
Prospect Road
2.5 mi
4m
Thompson 1 Road
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 157.4 mi, about 2h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer, PA and Hempfield, PA.
1
Start on Tank Hill Road
157 ft·9 sec·Tank Hill Road
2
Turn right onto Palmer Road
0.5 mi·2 min·Palmer Road
3
Continue on Sr3013
523 ft·23 sec·Sr3013
4
Continue on Palmer Adah Road
1.2 mi·4 min·Palmer Adah Road
5
Turn right onto Ralph Road
0.9 mi·3 min·Ralph Road
6
Turn left onto PA 166
0.2 mi·26 sec·Hartley Hill Road
7
Continue on PA 166
1.4 mi·2 min·Thompson 1 Road
8
Continue on PA 166
0.3 mi·30 sec·Tower Hill Road
9
Turn slight right onto New Salem Road
2.7 mi·4 min·New Salem Road
10
Continue on Front Street
0.2 mi·16 sec·Front Street
11
Continue on West Main Street
0.4 mi·43 sec·West Main Street
12
Continue on New Salem Road
4.9 mi·8 min·New Salem Road
13
Turn right onto US 40
0.6 mi·1 min·National Pike
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
Use the left lane.
15
Merge onto US 119
15 mi·17 min·US 119
16
Take the exit
244 ft·6 sec
17
Turn straight onto PA 982
7.9 mi·13 min·Pleasant Valley Road
18
Turn right onto PA 31
6.0 mi·9 min·PA 31
19
Turn slight left
0.2 mi·33 sec
20
Turn left
28 ft·3 sec
21
Take the ramp
493 ft·12 sec
Toward PATP, I 70, I 76
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·35 sec
23
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
157 mi·2 hr 53 min·Pennsylvania Turnpike
24
Take the exit
0.6 mi·2 min
Exit 247Toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, HersheyUse the slight right lane.
25
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Exit 1AToward PA 283 East: Airport, Lancaster
26
Merge onto PA 283
22 mi·25 min·PA 283
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Toward Salunga
28
Turn right onto Spooky Nook Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Spooky Nook Road
29
Continue on Prospect Road
2.5 mi·4 min·Prospect Road
30
Turn left onto PA 23
1.4 mi·2 min·Marietta Avenue
Use the left lane.
31
Turn right onto Summit Drive
0.5 mi·1 min·Summit Drive
32
Continue on Summit Drive
0.4 mi·55 sec·Summit Drive
33
Arrive at destination
Summit Drive
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 114.7 miles from Palmer, PA, or about 2h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 157.4 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 50 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.7 miles or 2h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hempfield, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palmer, PA 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 Palmer, PA
This is one driving day of about 229.4 miles and 4h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Palmer, PA.
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.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 157.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 114.7 mi from Palmer, PA
· 2h 30m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
3 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 181.9
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 71.2
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 15.8
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
19 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 213.6
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 94.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.03 one way
$76.06 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$41.65
$83.31
premium
$4.93
$44.49
$88.98
diesel
$5.61
$50.65
$101.30
Estimated Tolls: $20.46
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(157.4 mi)$20.46
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Tolls
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.8
0
$24.09
$11.01
Efficient EV
57.4
0
$20.07
$9.18
EV Truck/SUV
91.8
1
$32.12
$14.68
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Palmer, PA
Morning
in Palmer on Saturday
Local time
10:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hempfield, PA
Morning
in Hempfield on Saturday
Local time
10:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Hancock, MD
115 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
16 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
4h 45m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Palmer, PA to Hempfield, PA covers 229.4 miles and takes about 4h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pennsylvania Turnpike, PA 283, US 119. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 114.7 miles from Palmer, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.03 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 229.4 miles you will encounter 19 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 13 miles (US 40 / National Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Palmer, PA and Hempfield, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Hershey and Lancaster.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Flight 93 National Memorial and Fort Necessity National Battlefield. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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.
