Origin
Whitesburg, KY
Morning in Whitesburg on Wednesday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Whitesburg, KY to Nicholasville, KY
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
3h 4m
Distance
158.1 mi
254 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 53m
★
6 AM
3h 5m
8 AM
3h 28m
10 AM
3h 13m
12 PM
3h 10m
3 PM
3h 14m
5 PM
3h 26m
8 PM
2h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nicholasville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Whitesburg, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 158.1 miles and takes about 3h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on KY 15, Mountain Parkway, I 64 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.5 miles on KY 15. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.72 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
79 miles from Whitesburg, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 31m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 3h 4m highway drive covering 158.1 miles, with most of the trip on KY 15 and Mountain Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 59.5 miles on KY 15.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
KY 15 is the longest continuous segment at about 59.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on KY 15 and Mountain Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 139.2 miles in.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 158.1 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 139.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 140.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 142.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
139.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81
Toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
8
140.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 39m in
Take the exit toward US 60: Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 110
Toward US 60: Lexington
6
142.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 42m in
Take the exit toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road
8
149.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 51m in
Take the exit toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington
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 19
Toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington
6
149.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 52m in
|
US 27 / Nicholasville Road
Turn left onto US 27 / Nicholasville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Whitesburg, KY and Nicholasville, KY, road signs point toward Knoxville and Lexington.
Knoxville
139.2 mi in
|
~2h 36m
Lexington
149.1 mi in
|
~2h 51m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| KY 15 | 59.5 mi | 1h 8m |
| Mountain Parkway | 42.7 mi | 45m |
| I 64 | 15.5 mi | 16m |
| Bible Avenue | 11.1 mi | 12m |
| East New Circle Road | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Smithsboro Road | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Lexington Road | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Red Fox Road | 3.9 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
KY 15
— 59.5 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Whitesburg, KY and Nicholasville, KY.
1
Start on KY 15 Business
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
North Webb Avenue
2
Turn straight onto KY 15 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Hazard Road
3
Continue on KY 15; KY 931
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
KY 15; KY 931
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on KY 15; KY 160
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Red Fox Road
5
Continue on KY 15
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Smithsboro Road
6
Continue on KY 15
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
Whitesburg Road
7
Continue on KY 15
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Bible Avenue
8
Turn left onto KY 15
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
KY 15
9
At end of road, turn left onto KY 15
30 mi
·
34 min
·
KY 15
10
Turn right onto KY 15
19 mi
·
21 min
·
KY 15
Use the straight lane.
11
Merge onto Mountain Parkway
43 mi
·
45 min
·
Mountain Parkway
12
Merge onto I 64
16 mi
·
16 min
·
I 64
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Exit 81
Toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
14
Merge onto I 75
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 75
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 110
Toward US 60: Lexington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto US 60
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Winchester Road
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road
Use the left lane.
18
Merge onto KY 4
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
East New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 19
Toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn left onto US 27
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Nicholasville Road
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on US 27
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Lexington Road
22
Turn left onto US 27 Business
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
Use the left lane.
23
Arrive at destination
US 27 Business
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 79 miles from Whitesburg, KY, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.5 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 80 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 79 miles or 1h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nicholasville, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Whitesburg, KY 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 Whitesburg, KY
This is one driving day of about 158.1 miles and 3h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Whitesburg, KY.
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 KY 15 for about 59.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 79 mi from Whitesburg, KY · 1h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
79 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 79 miles from Whitesburg, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Nicholasville, KY
The final approach into Nicholasville, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Nicholasville, KY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.72 one way
$49.43 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
55 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $27.14 | $54.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $30.42 | $60.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $34.91 | $69.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 47.4 | 0 | $16.60 | $7.59 |
| Efficient EV | 39.5 | 0 | $13.83 | $6.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 63.2 | 0 | $22.13 | $10.12 |
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Nicholasville, KY
Morning in Nicholasville on Wednesday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
11 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
3h 4m 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 Whitesburg, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 158.1 miles and takes about 3h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are KY 15, Mountain Parkway, I 64. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 79 miles from Whitesburg, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.72 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 158.1 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 139.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 140.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 142.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Whitesburg, KY and Nicholasville, KY, road signs point toward Knoxville and Lexington.
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