Origin
Crawfordsville, IN
Morning in Crawfordsville on Sunday
Local time
6:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crawfordsville, IN to Carmel, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
47.8 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Crawfordsville, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Carmel, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward connection between Crawfordsville and Carmel, this 47.8-mile drive is a perfect day trip. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 8 minutes on the road, making it an efficient way to travel across the Midwest. With a fuel cost of roughly $7, it is an economical choice for a quick getaway or a necessary commute. Since the entire trip is located within Indiana, you will experience a consistent regional feel from start to finish. You do not need to worry about overnight logistics, as the short duration allows you to complete the journey in a single session. This route is ideal for travelers who prioritize predictability and speed over long-distance touring.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lebanon Road | 20.8 mi | 30m |
| I 65 | 10.6 mi | 11m |
| I 865 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| I 465 | 5 mi | 5m |
| North Meridian Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West Main Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Old Meridian Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Englewood Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Lebanon Road
— 20.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crawfordsville, IN and Carmel, IN.
1
Start on Eastwood Drive
397 ft
·
19 sec
·
Eastwood Drive
2
Turn right onto North Englewood Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Englewood Drive
3
Turn right onto SR 32
21 mi
·
30 min
·
Lebanon Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
5
Merge onto I 65; US 52
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 65; US 52
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 865
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
I 865
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 465
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
I 465
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 31
Toward US 31 North: Meridian Street South, Westfield, Kokomo
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 31 North: Westfield, Kokomo
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 31
Toward US 31 North: Westfield, Kokomo
11
Merge onto US 31
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Meridian Street
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 126
Toward Old Meridan Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto Old Meridian Street
490 ft
·
13 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
14
Enter roundabout onto Old Meridian Street
209 ft
·
12 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
15
Continue on Old Meridian Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
16
Enter roundabout onto Old Meridian Street
109 ft
·
6 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
17
Continue on Old Meridian Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
18
Enter roundabout onto Old Meridian Street
112 ft
·
6 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
19
Continue on Old Meridian Street
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Old Meridian Street
20
Enter roundabout onto West Main Street
76 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Main Street
21
Continue on West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Main Street
22
Enter roundabout onto West Main Street
122 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Main Street
23
Continue on West Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
24
Enter roundabout onto West Main Street
70 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Main Street
25
Continue on West Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
26
Enter roundabout onto East Main Street
87 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
27
Continue on East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Main Street
28
Enter roundabout
107 ft
·
2 sec
29
Continue
67 ft
·
1 sec
30
Turn straight onto East Main Street
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Main Street
31
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Crawfordsville, IN, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 32.1 and 45.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
32.1 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
I 865
Keep slight right at fork onto I 865
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
42.2 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward US 31 North: Meridian Street South, Westfield, Kokomo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31
Toward US 31 North: Meridian Street South, West...
6
42.3 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 31 North: Westfield, Kokomo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 31 North: Westfield, Kokomo
6
43.2 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
US 31
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31 toward US 31 North: Westfield, Kokomo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 31 North: Westfield, Kokomo
7
45.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward Old Meridan Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 126
Toward Old Meridan Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.47 one way
$14.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.21 | $16.41 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.20 | $18.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.55 | $21.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Carmel, IN
Morning in Carmel on Sunday
Local time
6:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 8m 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 trip features a mixed-drive profile that balances local roads with high-speed interstate travel. You will spend 44% of your time on highways, primarily navigating I-65 and I-865 to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs early on, covering 20.8 miles along Lebanon Road before you transition to the faster interstate segments. Expect the character of the drive to shift as you move from the more relaxed pace of local lanes onto the busier, high-traffic flow of the interstate system. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that requires your full attention during the transition between road types.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.8 mi on Lebanon Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 32.1 miles in near I 865.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.8 miles you will encounter 21 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 32.1 miles (I 865): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
957 ft
794 ft
Total Climb
181 ft
Total Descent
123 ft
Highest Point
957 ft
~27.3 mi in
Elevation Range
163 ft
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.
Between Crawfordsville, IN and Carmel, IN, road signs point toward Westfield and Kokomo.
Westfield
42.2 mi in
|
~56m
Kokomo
42.2 mi in
|
~56m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 47.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.8 miles on Lebanon Road. 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 Carmel, IN 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 32.1 miles (I 865): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.3 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 Carmel, IN 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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