This 411.6-mile journey from Clinton, KY to Georgetown, KY will take approximately 8 hours and 10 minutes of driving time. Given the duration, it's best split over two days, especially since the recommended stop count is two. You'll primarily be on the Cumberland Parkway and I-69, with about 70% of the route being highway driving. Expect a fuel cost around $63 for this trip. This route stays within the Southeast region, offering a consistent feel as you travel through Kentucky. It's a practical option if you're looking for efficient travel between these two points.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
205.8 miles from Clinton, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Cumberland Parkway
85.6 mi
1h 31m
I 69
77.5 mi
1h 23m
Russellville Road
35.9 mi
42m
KY 80
33.8 mi
40m
Cumberland Gap Parkway
30.7 mi
36m
Interstate Highway 65
21.7 mi
23m
KY 38
19.7 mi
34m
Harlan Road
15.9 mi
18m
Longest stretch:
Cumberland Parkway
— 85.6 mi, about 1h 31m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,378 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,028
Quietest
2 AM
~354 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton, KY and Georgetown, KY.
1
Start on US 51
0.1 mi·30 sec·North Washington Street
2
Turn left onto KY 58
12 mi·21 min·Mayfield Road
3
Continue on KY 339
2.4 mi·4 min·KY 339
4
Turn left
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward Purchase Parkway North: Mayfield
5
Merge onto I 69
37 mi·39 min·I 69
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69
41 mi·43 min·I 69
Toward I 24 East, I 69 North: Nashville, Henderson
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 65Toward US 68, KY 80: Cadiz, Hopkinsville
8
Turn left onto US 68; KY 80
3.8 mi·4 min·Hopkinsville Road
9
Continue on US 68; KY 80
9.2 mi·11 min·Cadiz Road
10
Continue on US 68; KY 80
1.3 mi·2 min·West 7th Street
11
Turn straight onto US 68; KY 80; KY 109
0.9 mi·1 min·West 9th Street
12
Turn left onto US 68; KY 80
1.3 mi·1 min·McLean Avenue
13
Continue on US 68; KY 80
8.9 mi·10 min·Russellville Road
14
Continue on US 68; KY 80
5.2 mi·5 min·Jefferson Davis Highway
15
Continue on US 68; KY 80
19 mi·22 min·Russellville Road
16
Continue on US 68 Business
0.3 mi·25 sec·West 4th Street
17
At end of road, turn right onto US 68 Business; KY 3519
231 ft·7 sec·West 4th Street
18
Turn left onto US 68 Business; KY 3519
72 ft·1 sec·South Main Street
19
Turn right onto US 68 Business
0.6 mi·55 sec·East 4th Street
20
Turn right onto US 68 Business
373 ft·6 sec·Franklin Street
21
Continue on US 68 Business
0.2 mi·19 sec·Franklin Road
22
Continue on US 68 Business
0.1 mi·12 sec·Franklin Street
23
Continue on US 68 Business
0.6 mi·51 sec·Bowling Green Road
24
Continue on US 68; KY 80
3.2 mi·3 min·East Jefferson Davis Highway
25
Continue on US 68; KY 80
12 mi·13 min·Bowling Green Road
26
Continue on US 68; KY 80
8.0 mi·9 min·Russellville Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 165 South
28
Merge onto I 165
4.8 mi·5 min·I 165
29
Take the exit
0.4 mi·58 sec
Exit 1AToward I 65 North: Louisville
30
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·53 sec
Toward I 65 North: Louisville
31
Merge onto I 65
22 mi·23 min·Interstate Highway 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward Somerset, Glasgow
33
Merge onto Cumberland Parkway
86 mi·1 hr 31 min·Cumberland Parkway
34
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 86Toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
35
Continue on KY 914
0.4 mi·33 sec·KY 914
36
Turn left onto KY 80
34 mi·40 min·KY 80
Use the left lane.
37
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
38
Merge onto I 75
11 mi·12 min·I 75
39
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward US 25, US 25E: Corbin, Barbourville
40
Turn left onto US 25E
2.0 mi·3 min·Corbin Bypass
41
Continue on US 25E
31 mi·36 min·Cumberland Gap Parkway
42
Continue on US 25E
1.8 mi·2 min·Bob Madon Bypass
43
Turn left onto US 119
16 mi·18 min·Harlan Road
44
Continue on US 119
13 mi·14 min·Pineville Road
45
Turn right onto US 421
1.1 mi·2 min·US 421
46
Turn left onto KY 38
386 ft·9 sec·KY 38
47
Enter roundabout onto KY 38
91 ft·1 sec·KY 38
48
Continue on KY 38
20 mi·34 min·KY 38
49
Arrive at destination
KY 38
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 8 hour and 10 minute drive, plan to split it over two days with two planned stops. Consider departing early in the morning to maximize daylight, especially if you're traveling during shorter daylight months. Breaking up the 411.6 miles will make the journey more relaxed. A specific tip for this route: pay attention to your fuel levels before entering the 85.6-mile stretch on the Cumberland Parkway, as services can be more spread out on parkways compared to interstates.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 205.8 miles from Clinton, KY, or about 4h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.6 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 91 miles or 1h 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 205.8 miles or 4h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 205.8 miles or 4h 3m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Georgetown, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clinton, KY 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clinton, KY
Aim for roughly 206 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Georgetown, KY
Aim for roughly 206 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 91 miles from Clinton, KY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Cumberland Parkway for about 85.6 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 26
5 decision points cluster between mile 14.6 and 280.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
14.6 mi into trip|~25m in
Turn left toward Purchase Parkway North: Mayfield
Navigation decision point
Toward Purchase Parkway North: Mayfield
6
51.6 mi into trip|~1h 5m in|I 69
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69 toward I 24 East, I 69 North: Nashville, Henderson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 24 East, I 69 North: Nashville, Hender...
6
92.2 mi into trip|~1h 49m in
Take the exit toward US 68, KY 80: Cadiz, Hopkinsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 65
Toward US 68, KY 80: Cadiz, Hopkinsville
5
142.3 mi into trip|~2h 51m in|US 68 Business; KY 3519 / West 4th Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 68 Business; KY 3519 / West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
6
280.9 mi into trip|~5h 23m in
Take the exit toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 86
Toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$68.43 one way
$136.87 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg144 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$74.54
$149.08
premium
$5.18
$83.99
$167.98
diesel
$5.35
$86.70
$173.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$198–$308
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 144 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $43 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
123.5
1
$43.22
$19.76
Efficient EV
102.9
1
$36.02
$16.46
EV Truck/SUV
164.6
2
$57.62
$26.34
Gas CO2
144 kg
EV CO2
48 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Clinton, KY
Afternoon
in Clinton on Wednesday
Local time
3:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Patchy Fog
E 2 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 10:38AM CDT until June 3 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Destination
Georgetown, KY
Afternoon
in Georgetown on Wednesday
Local time
4:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Chance Rain Showers
W 1 mph11% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 10:38AM CDT until June 3 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
69°F
Celina, TN
206 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
7 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
8h 10m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
The US won a significant victory early in the Civil War at the Battle of Mill Springs. Explore the rolling fields of Kentucky where the battle took place and learn about that state's strategic importa...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
Free
near mile 283.8
Cumberland Gap was the first great gateway to the west. Come follow the path of bison, Native Americans, longhunters, and pioneers. Walk where 300,000 people crossed the Appalachians to settle America...
Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, e...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 198.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 70% of the 411.6 miles on faster roads like I-69 and the Cumberland Parkway. You'll encounter a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 85.6 miles on the Cumberland Parkway, so be prepared for longer periods of consistent speed. The character of the drive will shift between interstate cruising and parkway travel, offering a mix of efficiency and a slightly less urban feel than pure interstate routes. It's designed for steady progress rather than winding scenic exploration.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
49 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.6 mi on Cumberland Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Cumberland Parkway and I 69. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.6 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 26 significant decision points across 411.6 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 14.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 51.6 miles (I 69): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 92.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,609 ft375 ft
Total Climb
1,700 ft
Total Descent
467 ft
Highest Point
1,609 ft
~411.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,233 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clinton, KY and Georgetown, KY, road signs point toward Henderson, Hopkinsville, Somerset, Glasgow, Burnside and Barbourville.
The longest stretch is about 85.6 miles on Cumberland Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 206 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Georgetown, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 51.6 miles (I 69): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 92.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and Mammoth Cave National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.2 hours each way, a round trip means 16.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Georgetown, KY before the return drive.
