Erie to Jim Thorpe is 331.3 miles and takes about 6h 11m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $59 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. While it's mostly surface roads, you'll encounter a significant stretch on a highway, offering a mix of cruising and more local travel. Plan for a full day behind the wheel, as the 6+ hour duration means you'll want to get an early start to reach your destination comfortably.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
165.7 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
236.3 mi
4h 14m
Raymond P Shafer Highway
66.8 mi
1h 11m
Hudson Drive
5.8 mi
8m
West Broad Street
3.8 mi
4m
State Route 93
3.7 mi
7m
Hunter Street
2.8 mi
3m
East Catawissa Street
2.5 mi
3m
West 12th Street
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 236.3 mi, about 4h 14m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,099 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,466
Quietest
2 AM
~186 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
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 Erie, PA and Jim Thorpe, PA.
1
Start on State Street
0.4 mi·1 min·State Street
2
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.0 mi·4 min·West 12th Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
0.1 mi·23 sec·Greengarden Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto West Bayfront Parkway
0.2 mi·20 sec·West Bayfront Parkway
5
Continue on I 79
67 mi·1 hr 11 min·Raymond P Shafer Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
7
Merge onto I 80
236 mi·4 hr 14 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward PA 93: Conyngham, Nescopeck
9
Keep slight right at fork
444 ft·11 sec
10
Turn straight onto PA 93
0.6 mi·57 sec·Berwick Hazleton Highway
11
Continue on PA 93
3.7 mi·7 min·State Route 93
12
Continue on PA 93
0.6 mi·1 min·Valmont Parkway
13
Continue on PA 93
1.9 mi·2 min·Susquehanna Boulevard
14
Continue on PA 93
0.5 mi·43 sec·North Broad Street
15
Continue on PA 93; PA 924
3.8 mi·4 min·West Broad Street
16
Continue on PA 93
1.0 mi·1 min·Berwick Street
17
Continue on PA 93
0.5 mi·34 sec·Broad Street
18
Continue on PA 93
5.7 mi·8 min·Hudson Drive
19
Continue on State Route 93
2.8 mi·3 min·Hunter Street
20
Continue on PA 93
523 ft·13 sec·Hudson Drive
21
At end of road, turn left onto US 209
2.5 mi·3 min·East Catawissa Street
22
Continue on US 209
0.3 mi·30 sec·Lehigh Avenue
23
Turn left onto PA 903
0.6 mi·1 min·North Street
24
Turn left onto West 6th Street
135 ft·5 sec·West 6th Street
25
Arrive at destination
West 6th Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 6-hour drive, aim to depart from Erie early in the morning. This will give you ample time to reach Jim Thorpe without feeling rushed. Given the drive is mostly surface roads, be prepared for varying speed limits and potential local traffic. The single stop suggested should be strategically placed to break up the drive. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the longer 236.3-mile segment on the Keystone Shortway where services might be less frequent than on 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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 165.7 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 236.3 miles.
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 73 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 165.7 miles or 3h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jim Thorpe, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 331.3 miles and 6h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 73 miles from Erie, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Keystone Shortway for about 236.3 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 306.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in|Greengarden Boulevard
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
2.6 mi into trip|~6m in|West Bayfront Parkway
Turn left onto West Bayfront Parkway
Navigation decision point
5
306.3 mi into trip|~5h 33m in
Take the exit toward PA 93: Conyngham, Nescopeck
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 93: Conyngham, Nescopeck
5
306.5 mi into trip|~5h 34m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.83 one way
$105.65 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg116 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$58.46
$116.92
premium
$4.81
$62.71
$125.42
diesel
$4.80
$62.56
$125.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 115.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
99.4
1
$34.79
$15.90
Efficient EV
82.8
0
$28.99
$13.25
EV Truck/SUV
132.5
1
$46.38
$21.20
Gas CO2
116 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (66% 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Late night
in Erie on Sunday
Local time
4:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Smoke
W 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Jim Thorpe, PA
Late night
in Jim Thorpe on Sunday
Local time
4:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Smoke
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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
6h 11m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is mostly surface roads, with only a small highway share. You'll spend the majority of your time on local routes, punctuated by a 236.3-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to more varied road conditions as you proceed. The longest continuous highway segment is substantial, so you'll have a good opportunity for steady driving before returning to surface roads.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 236.3 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 11m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 10 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (Greengarden Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (West Bayfront Parkway): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,747 ft509 ft
Total Climb
2,380 ft
Total Descent
2,309 ft
Highest Point
1,747 ft
~165.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,238 ft
Notable High Points
1,634 ft at ~236.7 miles+597 ft prominence
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 Erie, PA to Jim Thorpe, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Nescopeck along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 11m. Total distance: 331.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 11m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 236.3 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 34 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Jim Thorpe, PA 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 34 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (Greengarden Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (West Bayfront Parkway): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.2 hours each way, a round trip means 12.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Jim Thorpe, PA before the return drive.
