Origin
Fairmount, IN
Late night in Fairmount on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairmount, IN to Carmel, IN
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 6m
Distance
48.1 mi
77 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairmount, IN
Tom Fisk
Carmel, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 48.1-mile drive from Fairmount, IN, to Carmel, IN, is easily managed as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes. You'll primarily navigate Strawtown Pike and SR 37, with East 146th Street marking the final approach. With only a 20% highway share and an estimated fuel cost of $8, this route offers a straightforward and budget-friendly journey through the Midwest. There are no designated stops, so the flexibility of this short drive means you can depart whenever it suits you best. It's a practical option for a quick transition between these Indiana towns.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strawtown Pike | 25.9 mi | 30m |
| SR 37 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| East 146th Street | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| West County Road 900 South | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Carey Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| East 950 S | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South East 00 West | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Washington Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Strawtown Pike
— 25.9 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairmount, IN and Carmel, IN.
1
Start on South Main Street
114 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn left onto West Washington Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Washington Street
3
Continue on East 950 S
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 950 S
4
Turn right onto SR 9
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
South East 00 West
5
Turn left onto SR 26
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West County Road 900 South
6
Turn left onto SR 37
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Strawtown Pike
7
Enter roundabout onto SR 37
105 ft
·
1 sec
·
SR 37
8
Continue on SR 37
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
SR 37
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward 146th Street
10
Keep slight right at fork
501 ft
·
12 sec
Toward 146th Street West
11
Turn straight onto East 146th Street
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
East 146th Street
12
Turn left onto Carey Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Carey Road
Use the left lane.
13
Enter roundabout onto Carey Road
69 ft
·
4 sec
·
Carey Road
14
Continue on Carey Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Carey Road
15
Enter roundabout onto East Smoky Row Road
12 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Smoky Row Road
16
Continue on East Smoky Row Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Smoky Row Road
17
Enter roundabout
475 ft
·
27 sec
18
Continue
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
19
Merge onto Keystone Parkway
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Keystone Parkway
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Toward Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
21
Enter roundabout onto East Main Street
22 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Main Street
22
Continue on East Main Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24 miles from Fairmount, IN, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 40.3 and 47.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
40.3 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 146th Street West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward 146th Street West
6
45.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
Carey Road
Turn left onto Carey Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
47.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Main Street
5
47.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
East Main Street
Enter roundabout onto East Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.52 one way
$15.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.26 | $16.51 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.26 | $18.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.62 | $21.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Carmel, IN
Late night in Carmel on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
S 6 to 13 mph
18% chance
Live forecast
51°F
Cicero, IN
24 mi in
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
17 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 6m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the majority of this 48.1-mile journey. While about 20% of the route involves highway travel, the character leans towards local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 25.9 miles on Strawtown Pike, offering a consistent feel before you transition to other main roads. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a route that requires your attention with frequent turns and local traffic, making it engaging for the full hour of travel time.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.9 mi on Strawtown Pike.
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 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 40.3 miles in.
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 48.1 miles you will encounter 14 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 40.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 45.9 miles (Carey Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 47.2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Fairmount, IN to Carmel, IN, road signs begin pointing toward 146Th Street West along the way.
146Th Street West
40.3 mi in
|
~51m
About the Cities
Arriving in Carmel, IN
Full guide →Carmel is a city of just over 100,000 people (2021) in the Nine-County Region of Indiana north of Indianapolis.
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 6m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m 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 25.9 miles on Strawtown Pike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 40.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 45.9 miles (Carey Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 47.2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carmel, IN 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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