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Trip from Hemlock, PA to Allentown, PA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 57m

Distance

270.6 mi

436 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 45m ★
6 AM
5h 58m
8 AM
6h 24m
10 AM
6h 7m
12 PM
6h 4m
3 PM
6h 8m
5 PM
6h 23m
8 PM
5h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Hemlock, PA, PA

Hemlock, PA

K6

county seat city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States

Allentown, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Embarking on a 270.6-mile journey from Hemlock, PA, to Allentown, PA, will take approximately 5 hours and 57 minutes of driving time. This route, primarily traversing the Keystone Shortway and PA 948, is best suited for a single day of travel, with an estimated fuel cost of $45. The drive offers a turn-heavy local feel, suggesting a more engaging experience than a pure interstate cruise. Both your origin and destination are within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, keeping your travel contained within a familiar geographical area. Plan for a day trip, but be prepared for a more involved driving experience.

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

135.3 miles from Hemlock, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 13m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Keystone Shortway 112.7 mi 2h 1m
PA 948 23.8 mi 35m
William Penn Highway 21.6 mi 26m
Boot Jack Road 11.2 mi 16m
State Route 54 11.1 mi 13m
Center Avenue 10.6 mi 12m
Elysburg Road 9.7 mi 11m
Sunbury Road 9.4 mi 11m
Longest stretch: Keystone Shortway — 112.7 mi, about 2h 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hemlock, PA and Allentown, PA.

1

Start on this road

99 ft · 9 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Hemlock Road

3.5 mi · 13 min · Hemlock Road
3

Continue on Hemlock Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Hemlock Street
4

Turn left onto US 6 Business

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue East
Use the left lane.
5

At end of road, turn left onto US 6

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Main Street
6

Continue on US 6

2.9 mi · 4 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on US 6

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
8

Continue on US 6

4.5 mi · 6 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
9

Continue on US 6

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Main Street
10

Take the exit

265 ft · 9 sec
Toward PA 666 West
11

Merge onto PA 666

2.3 mi · 4 min · South Main Street
12

Continue on PA 948

8.5 mi · 12 min · PA 948
13

At end of road, turn left onto PA 66

2.9 mi · 4 min · PA 66
14

Turn right onto PA 948

15 mi · 22 min · PA 948
15

Turn left onto PA 948

1.0 mi · 2 min · West Main Street
16

Continue on US 219; PA 948

11 mi · 16 min · Boot Jack Road
17

Turn left onto PA 153

3.7 mi · 6 min · Penfield Road
18

Continue on PA 153

5.0 mi · 8 min · Hoovertown Road
19

Continue on PA 153

8.1 mi · 14 min · State Park Road
20

Turn left

0.3 mi · 40 sec
21

Merge onto I 80

113 mi · 2 hr 1 min · Keystone Shortway
22

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville
23

Turn slight left

79 ft · 2 sec
24

Turn right onto PA 54

2.9 mi · 3 min · Continental Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
25

Continue on PA 54

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Factory Street
26

Continue on PA 54

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Danville-Riverside Bridge Road
27

Turn left onto PA 54

9.7 mi · 11 min · Elysburg Road
Use the left lane.
28

Continue on PA 54

11 mi · 13 min · State Route 54
29

Continue on PA 901

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Locust Gap Highway
30

Continue on PA 901

2.2 mi · 2 min · Fairgrounds Road
31

Continue on PA 901

9.4 mi · 11 min · Sunbury Road
32

Continue on PA 901

0.8 mi · 1 min · Sunbury Street
33

Turn right onto PA 901

1.8 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Minersville Highway
34

Turn right onto PA 901

4.0 mi · 6 min · Gordon Nagle Trail
35

Continue on PA 901

0.2 mi · 33 sec · North Sillyman Street
36

Turn left onto PA 183

0.7 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Street
37

Turn right onto PA 61

493 ft · 6 sec · Route 61 South
38

Continue on PA 61

11 mi · 12 min · Center Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
39

Continue on PA 61

2.7 mi · 3 min · Centre Street
40

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
41

Merge onto I 78; US 22

22 mi · 26 min · William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
42

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lehigh Valley Thruway
Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport Use the slight right lane.
43

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward Cetronia Use the slight right lane.
44

Turn straight onto Tilghman Street

4.9 mi · 8 min · Tilghman Street
Use the straight lane.
45

Arrive at destination

Tilghman Street

Trip Plan

With a total duration of nearly 6 hours, starting your trip from Hemlock, PA, early in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight and minimize potential traffic. While the drive can be completed in one day, factor in at least one stop for fuel and a break, especially given the turn-heavy nature of the route. The estimated fuel cost is $45, so ensure your tank is full before departing. Keep an eye on your GPS for the numerous turns indicated by the route's 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, as this will be key to a smooth progression along the Keystone Shortway and PA 948.

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 135.3 miles from Hemlock, PA, or about 3h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.7 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 60 miles or 1h 43m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 135.3 miles or 3h 13m 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 51m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Allentown, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Hemlock, 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 Hemlock, PA

This is one driving day of about 270.6 miles and 5h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Hemlock, 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 112.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

county seat of Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bellefonte, PA

135 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

Mount Joy, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bellefonte, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 135.3 miles from Hemlock, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 112.7 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Farm Table Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, ~12 min detour

Early stretch 4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20

Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+18142054405

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~10 min detour

Early stretch 3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour

Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Centre County Rest Area Eastbound

0 mi from route

Montour County Rest Area Eastbound

0 mi from route

Centre County Rest Area Westbound

0.1 mi from route

Clinton County Rest Area Eastbound

0.1 mi from route

Clinton County Rest Area Westbound

0.1 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

Flying J Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

Flying J Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

Sapp Brothers Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

Montour County Rest Area Westbound

0.2 mi from route

TA

0.3 mi from route

TA

0.3 mi from route

Allentown Service Plaza

1 mi from route

Allegheny National Forest

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour

Marienville, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18149275700

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 265.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
3.8 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 6 Business / Pennsylvania Avenue East

Turn left onto US 6 Business / Pennsylvania Avenue East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
4 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 6 / Main Street

At end of road, turn left onto US 6 / Main Street

Navigation decision point

5
185.3 mi into trip | ~4h 7m in

Take the exit toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville
9
264.5 mi into trip | ~5h 48m in | US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI A...
6
265.5 mi into trip | ~5h 49m in

Take the exit toward Cetronia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Cetronia

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.86 one way

$89.72 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 95 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $49.13 $98.27
premium $4.93 $52.48 $104.96
diesel $5.61 $59.75 $119.49

Estimated Tolls: $0.07

Lehigh Valley Thruway (1 mi) $0.07

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$45

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 94.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $28 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 81.2 1 $28.41 $12.99
Efficient EV 67.7 0 $23.68 $10.82
EV Truck/SUV 108.2 1 $37.88 $17.32

Gas CO2

95 kg

EV CO2

32 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 Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Hemlock, PA

Morning in Hemlock on Tuesday

Local time

6:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Allentown, PA

Morning in Allentown on Tuesday

Local time

6:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°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

3 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

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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...

21 mi from route ~52 min detour Free near mile 224
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This 270.6-mile drive is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 14% of the route on highways. Expect a dynamic driving experience that frequently shifts from faster highway sections to more winding local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 112.7 miles along the Keystone Shortway, offering a period of more consistent travel before transitioning back to local routes. This profile suggests a journey where you'll be actively navigating turns and varying speeds, rather than a monotonous highway cruise.

Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
45 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 112.7 mi on Keystone Shortway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in near US 6 Business / Pennsylvania Avenue East.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 270.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles (US 6 Business / Pennsylvania Avenue East): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (US 6 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 185.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Hemlock, PA to Allentown, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Washingtonville along the way.

Washingtonville

185.3 mi in | ~4h 7m

About the Cities

Arriving in Allentown, PA

Full guide →

Allentown is the largest city in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, the county seat and largest city in Lehigh County, and the third-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with a population of 125,845 as of 2020.

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 5h 57m. Total distance: 270.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 112.7 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.07 in tolls one way, starting with Lehigh Valley Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

Yes — we found about 13 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 route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Allentown, 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 13 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles (US 6 Business / Pennsylvania Avenue East): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (US 6 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 185.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

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 Allentown, PA before the return drive.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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