Origin
Bloomington, IN
Late night in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, IN to Clayton, IN
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
1h 1m
Distance
41.6 mi
67 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Clayton, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the Indiana Midwest, the 41.6-mile trek from Bloomington to Clayton is a straightforward journey. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 1 minute behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, it is an incredibly affordable route for a weekend outing or a necessary commute. You will navigate a combination of North Walnut Street, I-69, and SR 39 to reach your destination. Because the travel time is so manageable, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated scheduling. This drive offers a practical, no-fuss connection between these two Hoosier communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SR 39 | 17.5 mi | 27m |
| I 69 | 12.7 mi | 13m |
| North Walnut Street | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Market Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| State Road 39 | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Morton Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Chestnut Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East 7th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
SR 39
— 17.5 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IN and Clayton, IN.
1
Start on this road
99 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Indiana Avenue
3
Turn left onto East 7th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East 7th Street
4
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
North Walnut Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
6
Merge onto I 69
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 69
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 137
Toward SR 39 North: Martinsville
Use the slight right lane.
8
Enter roundabout onto SR 39
105 ft
·
1 sec
·
Morton Avenue
Toward SR 39 North
9
Continue on SR 39
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Morton Avenue
Toward SR 39 North
10
Enter roundabout onto SR 39
119 ft
·
2 sec
·
Morton Avenue
Toward SR 39 North
11
Continue on SR 39
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Morton Avenue
Toward SR 39 North
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto SR 39
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
State Road 39
13
Continue on SR 39; SR 67
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
SR 39; SR 67
14
Turn left onto SR 39
7.7 mi
·
11 min
·
SR 39
15
Turn right onto SR 39; SR 42
155 ft
·
8 sec
·
SR 39; SR 42
16
Turn left onto SR 39
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Chestnut Street
17
Continue on SR 39
6.4 mi
·
11 min
·
SR 39
Use the left lane.
18
Turn slight left onto SR 39
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Market Street
19
Turn right
75 ft
·
5 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Bloomington, IN, 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 0 and 18.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Indiana Avenue
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
5.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 69
Merge onto I 69
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward SR 39 North: Martinsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 137
Toward SR 39 North: Martinsville
5
18.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
SR 39 / Morton Avenue
Enter roundabout onto SR 39 / Morton Avenue toward SR 39 North
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward SR 39 North
6
18.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
SR 39 / Morton Avenue
Enter roundabout onto SR 39 / Morton Avenue toward SR 39 North
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward SR 39 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.50 one way
$13.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.14 | $14.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.01 | $16.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.18 | $18.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 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 | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Clayton, IN
Late night in Clayton on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Martinsville, IN
21 mi in
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
17 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
1h 1m 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 41.6-mile path is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 73% of your travel occurring on higher-speed roads. You will find that the character of the trip shifts as you transition between the interstate and the state highway network. A notable portion of the journey includes a 17.5-mile stretch on SR 39, which serves as your longest uninterrupted segment. While you will spend a significant portion of the trip at cruising speeds, expect a functional, efficient experience rather than a winding backroads adventure. The road remains consistent, allowing you to settle into a steady rhythm until you arrive in Clayton.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on SR 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SR 39 and I 69. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Indiana Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.6 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Indiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (I 69): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Bloomington, IN
Full guide →Bloomington is a city of 86,000 people (2019) in Southern Indiana. Bloomington is home to the flagship campus of Indiana University (IU) and therefore also the IU Hoosiers sports teams. As it is the largest city in the region, it serves as the de facto employment, service, and shopping center for several adjacent counties.
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 1h 1m. Total distance: 41.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on SR 39. 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 (South Indiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (I 69): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clayton, IN 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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