Origin
Arcanum, OH
Morning in Arcanum on Tuesday
Local time
6:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arcanum, OH to Dayton, OH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
26.9 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arcanum, OH
Jovan Vasiljević
Dayton, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 26.9-mile drive from Arcanum, OH to Dayton, OH is a quick trip, averaging just 38 minutes to complete. It's an ideal day trip, easily manageable in a single outing with no need for an overnight stay. The route is predominantly highway-focused, making it an efficient journey. With an estimated fuel cost of around $4, this is an economical option for travelers in the Midwest region. Expect a straightforward drive with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SR 49 | 23.8 mi | 30m |
| East South Street | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| West 1st Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Ludlow Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
SR 49
— 23.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arcanum, OH and Dayton, OH.
1
Start on South Main Street
90 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn right onto 49A
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
East South Street
3
Turn right onto SR 49
14 mi
·
15 min
·
SR 49
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 49
10.0 mi
·
14 min
·
SR 49
Exit 26
Toward SR 49 South: Clayton, Trotwood
Use the slight right lane.
5
Continue on West 1st Street
381 ft
·
6 sec
·
West 1st Street
6
Continue on West 1st Street
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
7
Continue on West 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
West 1st Street
8
Turn right onto SR 48
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Ludlow Street
9
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
514 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 3rd Street
10
Turn right onto South Main Street
221 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Main Street
11
Arrive at destination
South Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
49A / East South Street
Turn right onto 49A / East South Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
SR 49
Turn right onto SR 49
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
9
16.1 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
SR 49
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 49 toward SR 49 South: Clayton, Trotwood
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 26
Toward SR 49 South: Clayton, Trotwood
5
26.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
West 3rd Street
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
26.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
South Main Street
Turn right onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.17 one way
$8.35 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $4.63 | $9.27 |
| premium | $4.91 | $5.20 | $10.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.94 | $11.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.77 | $1.72 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Dayton, OH
Morning in Dayton on Tuesday
Local time
6:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
20 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
38m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is heavily influenced by highway driving, with 88% of the journey utilizing faster roads. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 23.8 miles primarily on SR 49, offering a consistent pace. The main roads you'll navigate include SR 49, East South Street, and West 1st Street, ensuring a direct path. The profile suggests a highway-focused experience, meaning you'll likely encounter smooth, consistent driving conditions for the majority of the trip.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 mi on SR 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SR 49 and East South Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 49A / East South Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m 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 (49A / East South Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (SR 49): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.1 miles (SR 49): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Arcanum, OH to Dayton, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Trotwood along the way.
Trotwood
16.1 mi in
|
~21m
|
via SR 49
About the Cities
Arriving in Dayton, OH
Full guide →Founded 1796
Top landmarks
- • National Museum of the United States Air Force — aerospace museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, United States
- • Wright Flyer III — third powered aircraft built by the Wright brothers
- • Dayton Art Institute — art museum and school in Dayton, Ohio
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 26.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on SR 49. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (49A / East South Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (SR 49): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.1 miles (SR 49): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dayton, OH before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.
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