Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 45m
Distance
224 mi
360 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chesapeake, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Mount Jackson, VA
Sutharshan PiX
Chesapeake, VA to Mount Jackson, VA is 224 miles and takes about 4h 45m via I 64 and Spotswood Trail, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Virginia, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. The profile indicates a mix of highway and surface roads, so expect some variety in your driving experience. With a single recommended day, it's a manageable drive perfect for a quick getaway or a stop on a longer journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
112 miles from Chesapeake, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 | 101.3 mi | 1h 50m |
| Spotswood Trail | 30.6 mi | 41m |
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 22.6 mi | 24m |
| 4th Street | 11.4 mi | 17m |
| James Madison Highway | 10.8 mi | 15m |
| Hampton Roads Beltway | 9.6 mi | 12m |
| Old Valley Pike | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| US 211 | 4.4 mi | 6m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 116 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,266 veh/hr typical · worst 2,781
Quietest
2 AM
~135 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Chesapeake, VA and Mount Jackson, VA.
Start on D Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 460; VA 166
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 464
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT
Turn right onto US 460 ALT
Continue on US 460
Turn left onto US 460
Continue on US 460
Turn left
Merge onto I 64
Continue on I 64; US 60
Continue on I 64; US 60
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 295
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 64
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto US 15
Continue on US 15; US 33
Continue on US 15; US 33
Enter roundabout onto US 33; VA 231
Continue on US 33; VA 231
Continue on US 33
Enter roundabout onto US 33; VA 20
Continue on US 33; VA 20
Continue on US 33
Continue on US 33
Take the exit onto US 33 BUS
Keep slight right at fork onto US 33 BUS
Continue on US 340
Continue on US 340
Continue on US 340
Continue on US 340
Continue on US 340
At end of road, turn left onto US 211
Continue on US 211
At end of road, turn right onto US 11
Continue on US 11
Continue on US 11
Turn right onto SR 1334
Arrive at destination
Given the 4h 45m estimated drive time, starting your trip in the morning will give you plenty of flexibility. You're only looking at one stop, so you can plan that around a meal or a break midway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you leave the interstate, as services might be less frequent on the surface road sections. The $34 fuel estimate should cover the 224 miles, but it's always wise to fill up before you hit the longer stretches of highway. Since this is a one-day trip, you have the advantage of being able to adjust your departure time based on your morning's activities.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 49 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112 miles or 2h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mount Jackson, VA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Chesapeake, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chesapeake, VA
This is one driving day of about 224 miles and 4h 45m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
112 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.
A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 112 miles from Chesapeake, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 64 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 101.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 83.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 264 East: Waterside Drive, Saint Paul Boulevard, Downtown, Norfolk
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT toward Waterside Drive, St Paul's Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT toward Saint Paul's Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 295 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$34.32 one way
$68.65 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $37.67 | $75.33 |
| premium | $4.64 | $40.89 | $81.79 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $49.38 | $98.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67.2 | 0 | $23.52 | $10.75 |
| Efficient EV | 56 | 0 | $19.60 | $8.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.6 | 1 | $31.36 | $14.34 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Chesapeake on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
96°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Mount Jackson on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...
National Monument
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...
National Park
Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over...
National Historical Park
Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley has a long and rich heritage that still inspires today. Native Americans first shaped the land, followed by colonists and settlers. The fertile valley became an important...
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
About 48% of this drive is on highways. You'll cover a longest stretch of 101.3 miles on I 64 before transitioning to Spotswood Trail and Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. Expect a shift from high-speed interstate cruising to potentially more local traffic and varied speed limits as you move to surface roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 224 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles (US 460 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (US 460 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,177 ft
Total Descent
274 ft
Highest Point
1,153 ft
~192 mi in
Elevation Range
1,157 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chesapeake, VA and Mount Jackson, VA, road signs point toward Rocky Mount and Palmyra.
Rocky Mount
Palmyra
Founded 1963
Chesapeake is a town of 245,000 people (2019) in the Hampton Roads region of Eastern Virginia. Chesapeake is a diverse city in which a few urban areas are located; it also has many square miles of protected farmland, forests, and wetlands, including a substantial portion of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Top landmarks
Mount Jackson is a town of 2100 people (2019) in Shenandoah County, Virginia. The town has history as a commercial and railroad hub in the region, with rich Civil War heritage and a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 45m. Total distance: 224 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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