Origin
Erie, PA
Morning in Erie on Sunday
Local time
6:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 11m
Distance
359.5 mi
579 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$60
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Hemlock Farms, PA
Jack Pace
This 359.5-mile journey from Erie, PA, to Hemlock Farms, PA, is designed for a single day of driving, taking approximately 7 hours and 11 minutes to complete. You'll spend most of your time on major expressways, with a 94% highway share, making it a straightforward drive. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $60. This route focuses heavily on highway travel, offering a direct path through the Northeast region. With two planned stops, you can break up the drive comfortably and arrive at your destination without needing an overnight stay.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
179.8 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 35m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Tier Expressway | 249.5 mi | 4h 50m |
| I 81 | 53.4 mi | 1h 3m |
| I 84 | 34.1 mi | 39m |
| Hopkins-Bowser Highway | 7 mi | 8m |
| Bayfront Connector | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| AMVETS Memorial Highway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| PA-739 | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| East 8th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Erie, PA and Hemlock Farms, PA.
Start on State Street
Turn left onto East 8th Street
Turn right onto East Bayfront Parkway
Continue on PA 290
Continue on PA 290; PA 430
Take the exit
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Continue on I 86
Continue on I 86; NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
Continue on I 84; I 380
Keep slight left at fork onto I 84
Take the exit
Turn right onto PA 739
Turn right onto Forest Drive
Turn right onto Hickory Drive
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 7-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Erie to maximize daylight and allow ample time for your two planned stops. The longest stretch without a major road change is 249.5 miles on the Southern Tier Expressway, so plan a fuel and rest break before or around the halfway point of that segment. Keeping your fuel tank topped up is always a good idea on longer highway stretches. Given the 94% highway share, you can anticipate relatively quick progress, but always be mindful of posted speed limits and traffic conditions, especially as you approach your destination in Hemlock Farms.
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 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 79 miles or 1h 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 179.8 miles or 3h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hemlock Farms, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Erie, PA 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 359.5 miles and 7h 11m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
180 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 79 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 179.8 miles from Erie, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Southern Tier Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 249.5 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 11.3 and 356.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 86 East: Jamestown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 South: Scranton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 84 toward I 84 East: Milford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward PA 739: Lords Valley , Dingmans Ferry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$59.60 one way
$119.20 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $65.28 | $130.55 |
| premium | $4.93 | $69.72 | $139.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $79.37 | $158.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 125.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 107.9 | 1 | $37.75 | $17.26 |
| Efficient EV | 89.9 | 1 | $31.46 | $14.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 143.8 | 1 | $50.33 | $23.01 |
Gas CO2
126 kg
EV CO2
42 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Erie on Sunday
Local time
6:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Hemlock Farms on Sunday
Local time
6:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
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
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this trip, with 94% of the drive taking place on interstates. The Southern Tier Expressway will be your primary road for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 249.5 miles. While primarily interstate, the route does involve transitions between major highways like I-81 and I-84. This character means you'll likely encounter consistent speeds and efficient travel, though it emphasizes direct transit over winding scenic byways.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern Tier Expressway and I 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.3 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 359.5 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 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 268.3 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 321.6 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Erie, PA and Hemlock Farms, PA, road signs point toward Mt Pocono and Milford.
Mt Pocono
Milford
Erie is a city of about 100,000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It is Pennsylvania's only lake port on the Great Lakes (Lake Erie).
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 11m. Total distance: 359.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 11m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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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