Origin
Bethlehem, PA
Morning in Bethlehem on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethlehem, PA to Jim Thorpe, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
34.8 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Jim Thorpe, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick escape from Bethlehem to Jim Thorpe, you are in for a short 34.8-mile journey that typically takes about 52 minutes. This trip is perfect for a one-day getaway, as the distance is easily manageable without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate using a combination of East Union Boulevard, the Bethlehem Spur Route, and US 22 West to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $6, this is an incredibly accessible trip for travelers in the Northeast region. It serves as a practical, low-cost option for anyone wanting to swap the city environment for a change of pace in under an hour.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Macarthur Road | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Lehigh Drive | 7 mi | 9m |
| MacArthur Road | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Bethlehem Spur Route | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Mauch Chunk Street | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Riverview Drive | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| South Best Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Macarthur Road
— 7.4 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethlehem, PA and Jim Thorpe, PA.
1
Start on Linden Street
367 ft
·
13 sec
·
Linden Street
2
Turn right onto East Union Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Union Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
4
Merge onto PA 378
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Bethlehem Spur Route
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 22 West: Allentown
Use the slight left lane.
6
Merge onto US 22
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward PA 145
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
241 ft
·
9 sec
Toward PA 145 North
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto PA 145
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
MacArthur Road
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on PA 145
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Macarthur Road
11
Continue on PA 145
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Best Avenue
12
Continue on PA 145
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
North Best Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on PA 145
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverview Drive
14
At end of road, turn left onto PA 248
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Lehigh Drive
15
Turn left onto US 209
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Bridge Street
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on US 209
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Bankway Street
17
Continue on US 209
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
Sargent Stanley Hoffman Boulevard
Toward US 209 South
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on US 209
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1st Street
19
Continue on US 209
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Mauch Chunk Street
20
Continue on US 209
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Susquehanna Street
21
Turn right onto US 209
123 ft
·
1 sec
·
Lehigh Avenue
22
Continue on US 209
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Lehigh Street
23
Turn right onto PA 903
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Street
24
Turn left onto West 6th Street
135 ft
·
5 sec
·
West 6th Street
25
Arrive at destination
West 6th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Bethlehem, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 3.4 and 29.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 22 West: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 22 West: Allentown
6
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward PA 145
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 145
8
7.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 145 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward PA 145 North
5
7.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
PA 145 / MacArthur Road
Merge onto PA 145 / MacArthur Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
29.5 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
US 209 / Bridge Street
Turn left onto US 209 / Bridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.77 one way
$11.54 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.32 | $12.64 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.75 | $13.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.68 | $15.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.23
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(3.2 mi)
$0.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Jim Thorpe, PA
Morning in Jim Thorpe on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
52m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero percent highway share. You will find yourself navigating technical local roads that demand your full attention behind the wheel. Because there are no long, uninterrupted stretches on this path, the drive keeps you engaged from start to finish. The road profile is distinctly non-highway, so prepare for a more hands-on driving experience as you transition away from the city. It is a straightforward, direct route that prioritizes local navigation over high-speed transit.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.4 mi on Macarthur Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 34.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Bethlehem, PA
Full guide →Bethlehem is one of three cities, along with Allentown and Easton, that are the urban population centers of the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. In the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem borders Nazareth to its northwest, Allentown to its west, Hellertown to its southeast, and Easton to its east. The city is about 70 miles (110 km) north of Philadelphia, the sixth-largest city in the United States, and about 80 miles (130 km) west of New York City, the nation's largest city.
Arriving in Jim Thorpe, PA
Full guide →Jim Thorpe is a borough in the Coal Region, near Lehighton, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
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 52m. Total distance: 34.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.4 miles on Macarthur Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.23 in tolls one way, starting with Lehigh Valley Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Jim Thorpe, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jim Thorpe, PA 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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