Erie to Stroudsburg is 358 miles and takes about 6h 38m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $64 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This all-Pennsylvania route takes you across the northeastern part of the state. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, offering a more grounded experience than interstate travel. With a recommended one-day duration and a straightforward path, this trip is a good option if you're looking for a less hurried drive through the state's interior.
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
179 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
287.4 mi
5h 16m
Raymond P Shafer Highway
66.8 mi
1h 11m
West 12th Street
2 mi
4m
State Street
0.4 mi
1m
Park Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
South 7th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West Bayfront Parkway
0.2 mi
<1m
Greengarden Boulevard
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 287.4 mi, about 5h 16m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,084 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,463
Quietest
2 AM
~184 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 Stroudsburg, 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
287 mi·5 hr 16 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 307Toward PA 611: Park AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto PA 611
0.2 mi·40 sec·Park Avenue
10
Continue on PA 611
0.2 mi·44 sec·South 7th Street
11
Arrive at destination
3 ft·0 sec·Courthouse Square
Trip Plan
For this 358-mile trip, leaving early in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight. Since it's a single-day drive, you can be flexible with your timing, but aim to depart by 8 AM to ensure a comfortable arrival. There's only one recommended stop, so plan your breaks strategically. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially on the 287.4-mile stretch of the Keystone Shortway, as services might be less frequent than on an interstate. The $64 fuel cost is an estimate, so always check current prices.
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 179 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 287.4 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 79 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 179 miles or 3h 19m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Stroudsburg, 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 358 miles and 6h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 79 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 287.4 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 357.3 — 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
70 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|I 80 / Keystone Shortway
Merge onto I 80 / Keystone Shortway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
357.3 mi into trip|~6h 36m in
Take the exit toward PA 611: Park Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 307
Toward PA 611: Park Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$63.31 one way
$126.62 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg125 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$69.34
$138.69
premium
$5.24
$73.91
$147.82
diesel
$5.35
$75.41
$150.81
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$63
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 125.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
107.4
1
$37.59
$17.18
Efficient EV
89.5
1
$31.33
$14.32
EV Truck/SUV
143.2
1
$50.12
$22.91
Gas CO2
125 kg
EV CO2
42 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 Jun 3, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Afternoon
in Erie on Wednesday
Local time
4:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
SW 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Stroudsburg, PA
Afternoon
in Stroudsburg on Wednesday
Local time
4:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 0 to 5 mph1% 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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 38m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Situated within the most densely populated region of the United States, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides a unique opportunity to experience tranquil landscapes, rich human history,...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
$10
near mile 358
Park Closure: Old Mine Road North Construction Closure Begins April 6, 2026
Park Closure: Dingmans Falls Trail, Road, and Access Closed for Bridge Replacement
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on surface roads, with a highway share of 0%. You'll spend most of your time navigating local routes, with the longest continuous stretch on the Keystone Shortway measuring 287.4 miles. Be prepared for a steady pace, as the lack of interstate means more traffic signals and varied speed limits. The profile is mostly surface roads, so expect a consistent engagement with the local landscape rather than high-speed cruising.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 287.4 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 38m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 7 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.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 287.4 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 39 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 Stroudsburg, 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 39 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.
Yes — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.6 hours each way, a round trip means 13.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Stroudsburg, PA before the return drive.
