Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 19m
Distance
170.8 mi
275 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beckley, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Star City, WV
Kobe -
The drive from Beckley, WV to Star City, WV covers 170.8 miles and takes about 3h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway, US 19, Robert C. Byrd Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 96.3 miles on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.17 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
85.4 miles from Beckley, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 45m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Senator Jennings Randolph Highway | 96.3 mi | 1h 43m |
| US 19 | 67.2 mi | 1h 22m |
| Robert C. Byrd Drive | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| North Kanawha Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Monongahela Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Chaplin Hill Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| University Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Boyers Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Beckley, WV and Star City, WV.
Start on WV 210
Turn right onto WV 16
Continue on US 19; WV 16
Take the exit onto US 19
Take the exit
Merge onto I 79; US 19
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto CR 19/24
Continue on US 19; WV 7
Turn left onto CR 7/20
Turn right onto CR 55
Turn right onto Broadway Avenue
Arrive at destination
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.
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 38 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.4 miles or 1h 45m 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 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Star City, WV than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Beckley, WV 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 Beckley, WV
This is one driving day of about 170.8 miles and 3h 19m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
85 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.
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 85.4 miles from Beckley, WV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Senator Jennings Randolph Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 96.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 170.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto WV 16 / Robert C. Byrd Drive
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto US 19 toward US 19 North: Summersville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 79, US 19 North: Clarksburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Star City, WVU, Osage
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto CR 55 / University Avenue
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$26.17 one way
$52.34 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $28.72 | $57.44 |
| premium | $4.64 | $31.18 | $62.36 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $37.65 | $75.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 51.2 | 0 | $17.93 | $8.20 |
| Efficient EV | 42.7 | 0 | $14.95 | $6.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 68.3 | 0 | $23.91 | $10.93 |
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Beckley on Wednesday
Local time
1:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Star City on Wednesday
Local time
1:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Partly Cloudy
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Recreation Area
The 25 miles of free-flowing Gauley River and the six miles of the Meadow River pass through scenic gorges and valleys containing a wide variety of natural and cultural features. The Gauley River cont...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
170.8 mi in 3h 19m — 39% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Senator Jennings Randolph Highway.
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 around 0.8 miles in near WV 16 / Robert C. Byrd Drive.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 19m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (WV 16 / Robert C. Byrd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 19): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 72.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
633 ft
Total Descent
2,096 ft
Highest Point
2,421 ft
Elevation Range
1,463 ft
Founded 1838
Beckley is a city of 17,256 (as of 2020) in West Virginia, and is the county seat of Raleigh County pop. 74,591 (2020). It sits on a high plateau above the New River Gorge at an elevation of 2,418 feet. It was founded in 1838 and named for John J Beckley, the first Clerk of the House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress. Once a major coal industry hub, Beckley contains a small historic downtown and many suburban neighborhoods. The Beckley area serves as the overall regional commercial center for Southern West Virginia region, and has many big box stores and chain restaurants, in contrast to the small-town nature of its surrounding communities. Beckley sits as the closest town to the Grandview portion of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, and has easy access within 40 minutes to the park's 2 other visitor centers near Fayetteville and Hinton.
Founded 1907
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 19m. Total distance: 170.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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