Origin
Carmel, IN
Afternoon in Carmel on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carmel, IN to Franklin, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
53.7 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carmel, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 53.7-mile drive from Carmel to Franklin, Indiana, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 28 minutes. You'll navigate primarily along local roads, including Keystone Parkway and East 146th Street, with no highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $8, reflecting its relatively short distance. This route offers a practical, turn-heavy local experience perfect for a quick regional hop within the Midwest. It's ideal for a spontaneous outing or a planned short excursion without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East 700 South | 21 mi | 31m |
| East 146th Street | 9.1 mi | 15m |
| I 69 | 7.9 mi | 8m |
| E 700 S | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| State Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Campus Parkway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Buck Creek Park | 1.3 mi | 5m |
| Keystone Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
East 700 South
— 21 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carmel, IN and Franklin, IN.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Enter roundabout
448 ft
·
25 sec
3
Continue
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
4
Merge onto Keystone Parkway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Keystone Parkway
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward East 146th Street
Use the slight right lane.
6
Turn straight onto Lowes Way
365 ft
·
10 sec
·
Lowes Way
7
Enter roundabout onto Lowes Way
81 ft
·
2 sec
·
Lowes Way
8
Continue on Lowes Way
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Lowes Way
9
Turn right onto East 146th Street
9.1 mi
·
15 min
·
East 146th Street
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on Campus Parkway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Campus Parkway
11
Continue on Southeastern Parkway
278 ft
·
7 sec
·
Southeastern Parkway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on Southeastern Parkway
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Southeastern Parkway
13
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 69
7.9 mi
·
8 min
·
I 69
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 219
Toward SR 38 West: Noblesville, Pendleton
16
Enter roundabout onto State Street
14 ft
·
0 sec
·
State Street
17
Continue on State Street
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
State Street
18
Enter roundabout onto State Street
94 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Street
19
Continue on State Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
State Street
20
Turn left onto US 36; SR 9; SR 38; SR 67
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
E 700 S
21
Continue on US 36
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
E 700 S
22
Continue on US 36
21 mi
·
31 min
·
East 700 South
23
Turn right onto Buck Creek Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Buck Creek Road
24
Turn straight onto North 800 East Road
446 ft
·
25 sec
·
North 800 East Road
25
Turn left onto East 450 North
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
East 450 North
26
Turn right onto Buck Creek Park
1.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Buck Creek Park
27
Turn slight right onto North 900 East
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North 900 East
28
Turn left onto East 300 North Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 300 North Road
29
Continue on Nobblett Road
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Nobblett Road
30
Arrive at destination
Nobblett Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Carmel, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 21 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward East 146th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East 146th Street
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Lowes Way
Enter roundabout onto Lowes Way
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East 146th Street
Turn right onto East 146th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
21 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward SR 38 West: Noblesville, Pendleton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 219
Toward SR 38 West: Noblesville, Pendleton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.40 one way
$16.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.22 | $18.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.33 | $20.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.86 | $23.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Franklin, IN
Afternoon in Franklin on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°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 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 28m 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' for the entirety of this 53.7-mile route, as it features a 0% highway share. The journey is characterized by frequent turns and local road navigation, rather than long stretches of high-speed travel. Without a 'longest stretch' specified in the data, it suggests a continuous series of interconnected local streets and parkways. This means you'll be actively engaged with steering and navigation throughout the 1 hour and 28-minute duration. The feel is less about covering distance quickly and more about navigating through communities.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21 mi on East 700 South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 53.7 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 0.3 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Lowes Way): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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 Carmel, IN to Franklin, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Pendleton along the way.
Pendleton
21 mi in
|
~31m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 53.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m 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 21 miles on East 700 South. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Franklin, IN 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 0.3 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Lowes Way): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Franklin, 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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