If you are planning a quick getaway from Charleston to Hinton, you can expect a straightforward journey covering 90.4 miles. The drive typically takes about 1 hour and 51 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Your route primarily utilizes I-64 before transitioning onto Meadow Creek Road and WV-20 to reach your destination. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $14, this trip is quite budget-friendly for a weekend excursion. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region of West Virginia, the drive remains geographically consistent throughout. It is a practical choice if you want to navigate between these two points efficiently without spending your entire day behind the wheel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.2 miles from Charleston, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
78.8 mi
1h 31m
Meadow Creek Road
6.8 mi
10m
WV 20
1.7 mi
2m
Temple Street
0.9 mi
1m
Summers Street
0.9 mi
2m
Lee Street East
0.3 mi
<1m
Brooks Street
0.2 mi
<1m
4th Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 78.8 mi, about 1h 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charleston, WV and Hinton, WV.
1
Start on Dickinson Street
36 ft·4 sec·Dickinson Street
2
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi·31 sec·Lee Street East
3
Turn left onto US 60
0.2 mi·18 sec·Brooks Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 64, I 77, I 79
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 64 East, I 77 South: Beckley
6
Merge onto I 64; I 77
59 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 64; I 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto I 64
20 mi·22 min·I 64
Exit 40Toward I 64 East: Lewisburg
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Toward WV 20: Hinton, Sandstone
9
Turn left onto CR 7
6.8 mi·10 min·Meadow Creek Road
10
Continue on WV 20
1.7 mi·2 min·WV 20
11
Continue on WV 20
0.9 mi·1 min·Temple Street
12
Continue on WV 20
0.9 mi·2 min·Summers Street
13
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
0.1 mi·26 sec·4th Avenue
14
Turn right
190 ft·13 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Because this is a relatively short trip under two hours, you have significant flexibility with your departure time. Aim to fuel up before you leave Charleston so you can complete the 90.4-mile trek without needing to worry about mid-route stops. Since you spend the vast majority of your time on I-64, keep a close watch on your exit cues when you transition toward Meadow Creek Road. Packing snacks or drinks ahead of time is a smart move, as the route is designed for continuous driving rather than frequent roadside services. Use the extra time saved by the efficient highway segments to maximize your arrival in Hinton.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.2 miles from Charleston, WV, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.8 miles.
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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.2 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hinton, WV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Charleston, WV so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Charleston, WV
This is one driving day of about 90.4 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Charleston, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 78.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 60 — 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|US 60 / Brooks Street
Turn left onto US 60 / Brooks Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 64, I 77, I 79
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 64, I 77, I 79
7
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 64 East, I 77 South: Beckley
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 64 East, I 77 South: Beckley
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|I 64; I 77
Merge onto I 64; I 77
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
60 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|I 64
Take the exit onto I 64 toward I 64 East: Lewisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 40
Toward I 64 East: Lewisburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.14 one way
$28.27 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$15.46
$30.91
premium
$4.70
$16.73
$33.46
diesel
$5.61
$19.96
$39.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.1
0
$9.49
$4.34
Efficient EV
22.6
0
$7.91
$3.62
EV Truck/SUV
36.2
0
$12.66
$5.79
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Charleston, WV
Late night
in Charleston on Tuesday
Local time
5:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hinton, WV
Late night
in Hinton on Tuesday
Local time
5:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Mount Hope, WV
45 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 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
1h 51m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 89% of your time spent on major routes. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, as the longest uninterrupted stretch spans 78.8 miles along I-64. Once you exit the interstate, the character of the road shifts as you navigate Meadow Creek Road and WV-20. While the interstate portion is designed for consistent speed and efficiency, the final segments offer a change of pace as you transition onto local roads. You should be prepared for a transition from high-speed interstate travel to the more localized feel of West Virginia’s secondary highway system.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.8 mi on I 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and Meadow Creek Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near US 60 / Brooks Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 51m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 60 / Brooks Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,643 ft596 ft
Total Climb
2,778 ft
Total Descent
1,911 ft
Highest Point
2,643 ft
~67.8 mi in
Elevation Range
2,047 ft
Notable High Points
1,917 ft at ~82.9 miles+511 ft prominence
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 Charleston, WV to Hinton, WV, road signs begin pointing toward Sandstone along the way.
Charleston, established in 1794, is the state capital of West Virginia. With a population of about 49,000 in 2020, Charleston is the largest city in West Virginia. It's at the junction of Interstates 77, 79, and 64, as well as the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers, the latter of which flows prominently through the city.
The longest stretch is about 78.8 miles on I 64. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 60 / Brooks Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hinton, WV before heading back.
