Origin
Clay City, KY
Morning in Clay City on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clay City, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
38 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clay City, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Clay City, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY is 38 miles and takes about 45 minutes via Mountain Parkway and I 64, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within Kentucky's Southeast region, offering a straightforward drive. It's an easy option if you're looking for a short journey between these two points without a major time commitment. Consider this if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently and want to maximize your time at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Parkway | 16.4 mi | 17m |
| I 64 | 15.5 mi | 16m |
| Winchester Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East New Circle Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| I 75 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Floyd Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Mountain Parkway
— 16.4 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clay City, KY and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
1
Start on KY 11; KY 15
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
3
Merge onto Mountain Parkway
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Mountain Parkway
4
Merge onto I 64
16 mi
·
16 min
·
I 64
5
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Exit 81
Toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
6
Merge onto I 75
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 75
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 110
Toward US 60: Lexington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto US 60
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Winchester Road
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
10
Merge onto KY 4
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East New Circle Road
11
Turn left onto Floyd Drive
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Floyd Drive
12
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
41 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Clay City, KY, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 37.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Mountain Parkway
Merge onto Mountain Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining
7
33.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81
Toward I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville
8
35.1 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward US 60: Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 110
Toward US 60: Lexington
4
37.1 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
4
37.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.94 one way
$11.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.52 | $13.05 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.31 | $14.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Morning in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Winchester, KY
19 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
23 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
45m 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 route is predominantly highway-focused, with 85% of the drive on faster roads. You'll experience an uninterrupted stretch of 16.4 miles on the Mountain Parkway, providing a good opportunity to maintain speed. The transition to I 64 and then Winchester Road will keep the pace brisk for most of the 38-mile journey. Expect a consistent driving rhythm that prioritizes reaching your destination quickly.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on Mountain Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Mountain Parkway and I 64. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Mountain Parkway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 38 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Mountain Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Clay City, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Knoxville along the way.
Knoxville
33.6 mi in
|
~37m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 38 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 miles on Mountain Parkway. 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY 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 1.7 miles (Mountain Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lexington-Fayette, KY 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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