The drive from Slippery Rock, PA to Scranton, PA covers 276.8 miles and takes about 5h 12m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Keystone Shortway, I 81, William Flinn Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 230.2 miles on Keystone Shortway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.91 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
138.4 miles from Slippery Rock, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 12m. Total distance: 276.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 12m drive with frequent turns across 276.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Keystone Shortway is the longest continuous segment at about 230.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near PA 108; PA 173 / Franklin Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 12m drive. You will face about 10 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 (PA 108; PA 173 / Franklin Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (PA 8 / William Flinn Highway): Navigation decision point; at 241.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 108; PA 173 / Franklin Street
Turn right onto PA 108; PA 173 / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.5 mi into trip|~5m in|PA 8 / William Flinn Highway
At end of road, turn left onto PA 8 / William Flinn Highway
Navigation decision point
5
241.9 mi into trip|~4h 27m in
Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
7
276.2 mi into trip|~5h 11m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
276.6 mi into trip|~5h 11m in|Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
230.2 mi
4h 8m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
William Flinn Highway
4.5 mi
6m
Franklin Road
2.9 mi
4m
Pittsburgh Road
2.2 mi
3m
South Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Franklin Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 230.2 mi, about 4h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Slippery Rock, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 173
43 ft·5 sec·South Main Street
2
Turn right onto PA 108; PA 173
0.6 mi·1 min·Franklin Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on PA 108
2.9 mi·4 min·Franklin Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto PA 8
2.4 mi·3 min·William Flinn Highway
5
Continue on PA 8
1.2 mi·2 min·South Main Street
6
Continue on PA 8
2.1 mi·3 min·William Flinn Highway
7
Continue on PA 8
2.2 mi·3 min·Pittsburgh Road
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
9
Merge onto I 80
230 mi·4 hr 8 min·Keystone Shortway
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
11
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
13
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
14
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
16
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
17
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
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 138.4 miles from Slippery Rock, PA, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 230.2 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 61 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.4 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Slippery Rock, 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 Slippery Rock, PA
This is one driving day of about 276.8 miles and 5h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Slippery Rock, 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 Keystone Shortway for about 230.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 138.4 mi from Slippery Rock, PA
· 2h 35m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83
1
$29.06
$13.29
Efficient EV
69.2
0
$24.22
$11.07
EV Truck/SUV
110.7
1
$38.75
$17.72
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Slippery Rock, PA
Afternoon
in Slippery Rock on Friday
Local time
12:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in Scranton on Friday
Local time
12:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Clearfield, PA
138 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
3 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
5h 12m 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 Slippery Rock, PA to Scranton, PA covers 276.8 miles and takes about 5h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Keystone Shortway, I 81, William Flinn Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 138.4 miles from Slippery Rock, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.89 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 is a straightforward 5h 12m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (PA 108; PA 173 / Franklin Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (PA 8 / William Flinn Highway): Navigation decision point; at 241.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Slippery Rock, PA to Scranton, PA 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
