Hazard, KY to Lexington, KY is 114 miles and takes about 2 hours 16 minutes via Mountain Parkway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you across the Southeast region of Kentucky, moving from one point within the state to another. Given its relatively short duration and highway focus, it’s a straightforward drive perfect for a single-day excursion. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, making it a practical option for getting between these two locations efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.1 miles from Hazard, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Mountain Parkway
42.7 mi
45m
KY 15 Business
27.4 mi
31m
KY 15
18.6 mi
21m
I 64
9.6 mi
10m
Man O War Boulevard
5.3 mi
8m
Winchester Road
3.1 mi
4m
Park Road
3.1 mi
3m
Haley Road
1.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Mountain Parkway
— 42.7 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hazard, KY and Lexington, KY.
1
Start on Laurel Street
0.2 mi·47 sec·Laurel Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto KY 1762
0.2 mi·29 sec·L O Davis Drive
3
Turn right onto KY 15 Business
0.4 mi·37 sec·Memorial Drive
4
Continue on KY 15 Business
0.6 mi·1 min·North Main Street
5
Continue on KY 15 Business
27 mi·31 min·KY 15 Business
6
Continue on KY 15; KY 30
3.1 mi·3 min·Park Road
7
Turn right onto KY 15
19 mi·21 min·KY 15
Use the straight lane.
8
Merge onto Mountain Parkway
43 mi·45 min·Mountain Parkway
9
Merge onto I 64
9.6 mi·10 min·I 64
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward KY 859: Bluegrass Station
11
Turn left onto KY 859
1.6 mi·2 min·Haley Road
12
At end of road, turn right onto US 60
3.1 mi·4 min·Winchester Road
13
Turn left onto KY 1425
5.3 mi·8 min·Man O War Boulevard
14
Turn right onto Pimlico Parkway
1.2 mi·2 min·Pimlico Parkway
15
Turn right onto Gainesway Drive
0.1 mi·18 sec·Gainesway Drive
16
Turn right onto Coldstream Drive
261 ft·9 sec·Coldstream Drive
17
Arrive at destination
Coldstream Drive
Trip Plan
Consider departing Hazard, KY in the morning to take full advantage of daylight hours for your 2-hour drive to Lexington. With a total duration of just over two hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day, offering flexibility in your departure time. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch on the Mountain Parkway, so plan any brief stops before or after this segment. Since the fuel cost is estimated at only $18, you likely won’t need to worry about frequent refueling, but it's always wise to keep an eye on your gauge.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 57.1 miles from Hazard, KY, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.7 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.1 miles or 1h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lexington, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hazard, KY 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 Hazard, KY
This is one driving day of about 114.2 miles and 2h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Hazard, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Mountain Parkway for about 42.7 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 104.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|KY 1762 / L O Davis Drive
At end of road, turn right onto KY 1762 / L O Davis Drive
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|KY 15 Business / Memorial Drive
Turn right onto KY 15 Business / Memorial Drive
Navigation decision point
5
31.8 mi into trip|~38m in|KY 15
Turn right onto KY 15
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
102.7 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Take the exit toward KY 859: Bluegrass Station
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KY 859: Bluegrass Station
5
104.5 mi into trip|~1h 59m in|US 60 / Winchester Road
At end of road, turn right onto US 60 / Winchester Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.85 one way
$35.71 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.60
$39.21
premium
$4.89
$21.98
$43.95
diesel
$5.61
$25.21
$50.43
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.3
0
$11.99
$5.48
Efficient EV
28.6
0
$9.99
$4.57
EV Truck/SUV
45.7
0
$15.99
$7.31
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Hazard, KY
Night
in Hazard on Saturday
Local time
10:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lexington, KY
Night
in Lexington on Saturday
Local time
10:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live 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
5 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
2h 16m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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.
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops a...
15 mi from route
~37 min detour
Free
near mile 114.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 87% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a consistent pace for much of the trip, particularly during the longest stretch of 42.7 miles on the Mountain Parkway. Expect a smooth, relatively uninterrupted experience for significant portions of the drive, allowing you to maintain a steady speed. The route largely consists of highway driving, offering a predictable and efficient transit between your starting and ending points in Kentucky.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.7 mi on Mountain Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Mountain Parkway and KY 15 Business. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near KY 1762 / L O Davis Drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 16m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (KY 1762 / L O Davis Drive): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (KY 15 Business / Memorial Drive): Navigation decision point; at 31.8 miles (KY 15): Lane positioning matters here.
Lexington is the second largest city in Kentucky, located in the Bluegrass Region. Known as the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington has traditionally been dominated by the horse industry and is also heavily influenced by the University of Kentucky, the state's flagship university and the largest employer in the city. The horse industry has greatly influenced Lexington's culture and scenic beauty; the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University contribute to a college town atmosphere with a richer and more diverse culture than some might expect from its size and location. Lexington's compact central downtown district is surrounded by historic neighborhoods. Lexington is in the heart of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and is still home to hundreds of horse farms.
The longest stretch is about 42.7 miles on Mountain Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (KY 1762 / L O Davis Drive): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (KY 15 Business / Memorial Drive): Navigation decision point; at 31.8 miles (KY 15): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lexington, KY before heading back.
