Origin
Elkins, WV
Morning in Elkins on Tuesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elkins, WV to Fairmont, WV
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
59.4 mi
96 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elkins, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Fairmont, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 59.4-mile drive from Elkins, WV, to Fairmont, WV, will take about 1 hour and 21 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily use Barbour County Highway and US 250, with a short stint on Corridor H, though only 20% of the route is on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $9 for this journey. The overall feel is a turn-heavy local drive, offering a genuine taste of West Virginia's landscape without demanding an overnight stay. Since both locations are within the Southeast region, you'll experience consistent regional scenery throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Barbour County Highway | 26.8 mi | 32m |
| US 250 | 10.2 mi | 15m |
| Corridor H | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| Senator Jennings Randolph Highway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Trap Springs Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| George Washington Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South Crim Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| North Randolph Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Barbour County Highway
— 26.8 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elkins, WV and Fairmont, WV.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
92 ft
·
4 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn slight left onto US 33; US 219; US 250; WV 92
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Randolph Avenue
3
Continue on US 33; US 219; US 250
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Randolph Avenue
4
Continue on US 33; US 219; US 250
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Beverly & Morgantown Turnpike
5
Take the exit onto US 33; US 250
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
US 33; US 250
6
Merge onto US 33; US 48; US 250
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Corridor H
7
Turn right onto US 250; WV 92
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Barbour County Highway
8
Continue on US 250; WV 92
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Beech Avenue
9
Continue on US 250; WV 92
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Row Avenue North
10
Continue on US 250; WV 92
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Barbour County Highway
11
Continue on US 250; WV 92
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South Crim Avenue
12
Continue on US 250
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Barbour County Highway
13
Continue on US 250
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Main Street
14
Turn left onto US 250 TRK
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
Blue & Gray Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 119; US 250 TRK
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Mansfield Drive
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on US 119; US 250
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Barbour County Highway
17
Turn left onto US 250
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Trap Springs Road
18
Turn straight onto US 50; US 250
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
George Washington Highway
19
Turn slight right
182 ft
·
8 sec
20
Turn straight onto US 250
10 mi
·
15 min
·
US 250
21
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
22
Merge onto I 79
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
24
Turn left onto WV 273
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
25
Enter roundabout onto WV 273
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
26
Continue on WV 273
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
27
Enter roundabout onto WV 273
128 ft
·
3 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
28
Continue on WV 273
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
29
Continue on Jefferson Street
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
Jefferson Street
30
Arrive at destination
Jefferson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.7 miles from Elkins, WV, 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 2.2 and 58.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 33; US 250
Take the exit onto US 33; US 250
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
26.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 250 TRK / Blue & Gray Expressway
Turn left onto US 250 TRK / Blue & Gray Expressway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
27 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
US 119; US 250 TRK / Mansfield Drive
At end of road, turn right onto US 119; US 250 TRK / Mansfield Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
57.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
5
58.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
WV 273 / Fairmont Gateway Connector
Enter roundabout onto WV 273 / Fairmont Gateway Connector
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.29 one way
$18.58 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.16 | $20.31 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.99 | $21.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.11 | $26.23 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.05
Beverly & Morgantown Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.24 | $2.85 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.32 | $3.80 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Fairmont, WV
Morning in Fairmont on Tuesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
2 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
1h 21m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive as you navigate from Elkins to Fairmont. With only 20% of the journey on highways, most of your time will be spent on more intimate local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 26.8 miles on Barbour County Highway, so you'll be making frequent adjustments. This route is characterized by its winding nature rather than long, straightaways, offering a dynamic driving experience that keeps you engaged.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.8 mi on Barbour County Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near US 33; US 250.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 59.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 2.2 miles (US 33; US 250): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 26.2 miles (US 250 TRK / Blue & Gray Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 27 miles (US 119; US 250 TRK / Mansfield Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Elkins, WV
Full guide →Elkins is a city of 7,000 people (as of 2020) in Randolph County, West Virginia. It is home to Davis & Elkins College, a small private college. Because of its size and convenient location, you'll likely want to use Elkins as a base to get to a variety of nearby sights and attractions. Elkins is convenient to the Monongahela National Forest. It is less than an hour from the tiny high elevation twin towns of Thomas and Davis, noted for Blackwater Falls State Park, the Canaan Valley, Timberline Ski Resort and the region's caverns. One hour South will bring you to Snowshoe Mountain.
Arriving in Fairmont, WV
Full guide →Fairmont, nicknamed the "Friendly City", is a city of 18,313 people (as of 2020) in West Virginia, and the county seat of Marion County (pop. 56,000). It was established in 1820 as Middletown, and changed in 1843 to Fairmont, short for "Fair Mountain". The city is located on the Monongahela River at its origin at the confluence of the Tygart Valley River flowing northwest from Grafton, and the West Fork River flowing north from Clarksburg. Fairmont claims to be the origin of the Pepperoni Roll, West Virginia's official state food. Mary Lou Retton — a gold-medalist gymnast in the 1984 Olympics, who was highly popular around the country and particularly in West Virginia — came from Fairmont.
Top landmarks
- • Fairmont Senior High School — high school in West Virginia, United States
- • Robert H. Mollohan-Jefferson Street Bridge — bridge in Fairmont, West Virginia, United States
- • Masonic Temple — commercial building in Fairmont, United States of America
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 21m. Total distance: 59.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (20%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.8 miles on Barbour County Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.05 in tolls one way, starting with Beverly & Morgantown Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 2.2 miles (US 33; US 250): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 26.2 miles (US 250 TRK / Blue & Gray Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 27 miles (US 119; US 250 TRK / Mansfield Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fairmont, 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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