Erie to Mountain Top is 322.8 miles and takes about 5h 57m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $54 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Pennsylvania, traversing the Northeast region on its way to its destination. Given that it's primarily surface roads, expect a more scenic and potentially slower pace than a pure interstate drive. This route is best suited for those who prefer to see more of the landscape and aren't in a rush to get from point A to point B. Plan for a single day of driving.
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
161.4 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
243 mi
4h 22m
Raymond P Shafer Highway
66.8 mi
1h 11m
South Mountain Boulevard
9.3 mi
14m
West 12th Street
2 mi
4m
State Street
0.4 mi
1m
North Hunter Highway
0.2 mi
<1m
West Bayfront Parkway
0.2 mi
<1m
Greengarden Boulevard
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 243 mi, about 4h 22m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,496
Quietest
2 AM
~190 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Mountain Top, 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
243 mi·4 hr 22 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward PA 309: Hazleton, Mountain Top
9
Turn left onto PA 309
0.2 mi·20 sec·North Hunter Highway
10
Continue on PA 309
9.3 mi·14 min·South Mountain Boulevard
11
Turn right
423 ft·23 sec
12
Turn left onto North Main Street
98 ft·4 sec·North Main Street
13
Turn right onto Chestnut Street
158 ft·7 sec·Chestnut Street
14
Arrive at destination
Chestnut Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 57m estimated duration, leaving Erie in the morning around 9 AM should get you to Mountain Top by late afternoon. You have one recommended stop, so plan to stretch your legs about halfway through the longest stretch on the Keystone Shortway. The total fuel cost is estimated at $54, so ensure your tank is full before you depart and consider topping up if you see a good price along the way. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility; however, be mindful of the surface road nature of the latter half of the drive, which might add a little time.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 161.4 miles from Erie, PA, or about 2h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 243 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 71 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 161.4 miles or 2h 58m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mountain Top, 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 322.8 miles and 5h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 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 243 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 313 — 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
4
69.6 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Clarion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
5
313 mi into trip|~5h 41m in
Take the exit toward PA 309: Hazleton, Mountain Top
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 309: Hazleton, Mountain Top
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.81 one way
$113.62 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg113 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.89
$62.12
$124.24
premium
$5.23
$66.42
$132.83
diesel
$6.18
$78.53
$157.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$57
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 112.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
EV Charging Along Route
1 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: sparse
Universal Charging Station
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Other
1 DCFC
Other: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
96.8
1
$33.89
$15.49
Efficient EV
80.7
0
$28.25
$12.91
EV Truck/SUV
129.1
1
$45.19
$20.66
Gas CO2
113 kg
EV CO2
38 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Morning
in Erie on Monday
Local time
11:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
SW 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
Mountain Top, PA
Morning
in Mountain Top on Monday
Local time
11:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
NE 0 to 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
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
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
5h 57m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 drive is mostly on surface roads, with no highway driving according to the data. You'll experience 243 miles on the Keystone Shortway, which will likely feel like extended rural cruising. After that, you'll transition to roads like Raymond P Shafer Highway and South Mountain Boulevard, which will require more attention due to potential intersections and varying speed limits. Be prepared for a more involved driving experience compared to a typical interstate trip.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 243 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 57m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 243 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 37 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.
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 37 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 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 11.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Mountain Top, PA before the return drive.
