Origin
Charleston, WV
Morning in Charleston on Sunday
Local time
8:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charleston, WV to Parkersburg, WV
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
77.1 mi
124 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charleston, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Parkersburg, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Charleston to Parkersburg is a straightforward 81.4-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Because the route stays entirely within West Virginia, you will remain comfortably within the Southeast region for the duration of the trip. Expect to spend approximately $13 on fuel for the one-way trek. Since the travel time is relatively short, this makes for an easy day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via local roads like Christopher Street, Capitol Street, and Smith Street rather than high-speed interstates. It is a practical option if you need to travel between these two hubs without the intensity of long-haul highway driving.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 77 | 71.9 mi | 1h 17m |
| West Virginia Route 95 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Camden Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Division Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Dickinson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Juliana Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Smith Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 77
— 71.9 mi, about 1h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charleston, WV and Parkersburg, WV.
1
Start on Dickinson Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Dickinson Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Christopher Street
264 ft
·
13 sec
·
Christopher Street
3
Turn right onto Capitol Street
311 ft
·
17 sec
·
Capitol Street
4
Turn left onto Smith Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Smith Street
5
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
6
Merge onto I 64; I 77
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
I 64; I 77
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 77
Toward I 77 North: Parkersburg
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 77
70 mi
·
1 hr 15 min
·
I 77
Toward I 77 North: Parkersburg
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward WV 95: Downtown Parkersburg
10
Turn left onto Camden Avenue
187 ft
·
7 sec
·
Camden Avenue
11
Turn left onto WV 95
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Virginia Route 95
12
Continue on WV 95
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Camden Avenue
13
Turn right onto WV 14
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Division Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Market Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
237 ft
·
12 sec
·
North 3rd Street
16
Continue on 3rd Street
224 ft
·
12 sec
·
3rd Street
17
Turn right onto WV 68
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Juliana Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Arrive at destination
WV 68; WV 618
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.6 miles from Charleston, WV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 71.9 miles.
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 0.2 and 77 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Christopher Street
At end of road, turn left onto Christopher Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Capitol Street
Turn right onto Capitol Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 77
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77 toward I 77 North: Parkersburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 77 North: Parkersburg
6
76.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
Market Street
Turn left onto Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
77 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
|
WV 68 / Juliana Street
Turn right onto WV 68 / Juliana Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.06 one way
$24.11 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $13.18 | $26.37 |
| premium | $4.70 | $14.27 | $28.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.02 | $34.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.10 | $3.70 |
| Efficient EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.75 | $3.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.79 | $4.93 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Parkersburg, WV
Morning in Parkersburg on Sunday
Local time
8:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°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
11 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 that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route features zero highway miles, meaning you will navigate surface streets and local corridors for the entire 81.4 miles. The road’s personality is defined by frequent turns and varied local traffic patterns rather than long, straight stretches of pavement. You should prepare for a consistent, hands-on driving experience where your speed will fluctuate based on local road conditions. Because there are no highway segments, the drive feels more grounded and integrated into the local landscape as you transition between these two West Virginia cities.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 71.9 mi on I 77.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 77 and West Virginia Route 95. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Christopher Street.
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 77.1 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: at 0.2 miles (Christopher Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Capitol Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (I 77): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Parkersburg, WV
Full guide →Parkersburg is a city of 30,000 people (as of 2018) in West Virginia. It was known as "Newport" when it was founded, later to be renamed Parkersburg in 1810. The city sits where the Little Kanawha River meets the Ohio river; the town of Belpre lies just across the river in Ohio. Among Parkersburg's more famous residents is Morgan Spurlock, director of the 2004 film Super Size Me; the city's film connections continued with the 2006 film Bubble, which was filmed in the area and starred local residents. The area also has a long history with oil drilling, and is the home of the first documented commercial use of oil in the US.
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 28m. Total distance: 77.1 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 71.9 miles on I 77. 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 Parkersburg, WV 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.
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 0.2 miles (Christopher Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Capitol Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (I 77): 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 Parkersburg, WV 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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