The drive from Pittsburgh, PA to Gilpin, PA covers 65.1 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on William Penn Highway, US 119, Penn-Lincoln Parkway East for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29 miles on William Penn Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.79 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
32.6 miles from Pittsburgh, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 65.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Pittsburgh, PA to Gilpin, PA covers 65.1 miles and takes about 1h 30m, 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 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
William Penn Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 29 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,422 ft765 ft
Total Climb
1,346 ft
Total Descent
946 ft
Highest Point
1,422 ft
~60.5 mi in
Elevation Range
657 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Grant Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 30m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Grant Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Grant Street
Continue onto Grant Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
14.5 mi into trip|~21m in|US 22 / William Penn Highway
Merge onto US 22 / William Penn Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
43.5 mi into trip|~1h 5m in|Villa Road
Turn right onto Villa Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
43.7 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|Old William Penn Highway
At end of road, turn left onto Old William Penn Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
William Penn Highway
29 mi
44m
US 119
20.5 mi
23m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
13.8 mi
19m
Old William Penn Highway
0.9 mi
1m
Grant Street
0.3 mi
1m
Villa Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Buffalo-Pittsburgh Highway
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 29 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Gilpin, PA.
1
Start on Grant Street
45 ft·9 sec·Grant Street
2
Continue on Grant Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Grant Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 376 East: Monroeville
4
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
14 mi·19 min·Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto US 22
29 mi·44 min·William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn right onto Villa Road
0.2 mi·35 sec·Villa Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
At end of road, turn left onto Old William Penn Highway
0.9 mi·1 min·Old William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on US 119
21 mi·23 min·US 119
Use the straight lane.
9
Arrive at destination
US 119
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 32.6 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29 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 14 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 32.6 miles or 48m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gilpin, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pittsburgh, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Pittsburgh, PA
This is one driving day of about 65.1 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Pittsburgh, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on William Penn Highway for about 29 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.6 mi from Pittsburgh, PA
· 48m into the drive
The midpoint is around 32.6 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gilpin, PA
The final approach into Gilpin, PA 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
23 mi from route
~59 min detour
Free
near mile 49.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.79 one way
$21.59 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$11.82
$23.64
premium
$4.93
$12.63
$25.25
diesel
$5.61
$14.37
$28.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.5
0
$6.84
$3.12
Efficient EV
16.3
0
$5.70
$2.60
EV Truck/SUV
26
0
$9.11
$4.17
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Pittsburgh, PA
Morning
in Pittsburgh on Saturday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Gilpin, PA
Morning
in Gilpin on Saturday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
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 30m 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 Pittsburgh, PA to Gilpin, PA covers 65.1 miles and takes about 1h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are William Penn Highway, US 119, Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.6 miles from Pittsburgh, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.79 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 30m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Grant Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Pittsburgh, PA to Gilpin, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 765 ft to 1,422 ft elevation with about 1,346 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Johnstown Flood National Memorial.
