Connecting Hodgenville to Hopkinsville, this 134.9-mile journey across Kentucky takes approximately 2 hours and 4 minutes of pure driving time. Because the route is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a straightforward day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. You can expect to spend about $20 on fuel for the trek, making it an affordable option for travelers. The route primarily relies on local roads like Lincoln Square, West Main Street, and Lincoln Parkway rather than major interstates. Both towns are situated within the Southeast region, ensuring a consistent geographic feel throughout your travel. This drive is ideal if you prefer a slower, more deliberate pace rather than a high-speed interstate haul.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
67.4 miles from Hodgenville, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Western Kentucky Parkway
98.8 mi
1h 45m
I 169
24.7 mi
26m
Lincoln Parkway
9 mi
10m
East 9th Street
0.7 mi
1m
West Main Street
0.6 mi
<1m
McLean Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Bethel Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Main Street
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Western Kentucky Parkway
— 98.8 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hodgenville, KY and Hopkinsville, KY.
1
Start on US 31E; KY 84; KY 210
17 ft·0 sec·East Main Street
2
Enter roundabout onto West Main Street
182 ft·3 sec·West Main Street
3
Continue on West Main Street
0.6 mi·55 sec·West Main Street
4
Turn right onto KY 61
9.0 mi·10 min·Lincoln Parkway
5
Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway
99 mi·1 hr 45 min·Western Kentucky Parkway
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Exit 38BToward I 169 South: HopkinsvilleUse the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 169
281 ft·3 sec·I 169
8
Continue on I 169
25 mi·26 min·I 169
Exit 106A
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 9Toward US 68, KY 80
10
Keep slight right at fork
184 ft·4 sec
Exit 9Toward US 68, KY 80
11
Turn straight onto US 68; KY 80
0.3 mi·29 sec·McLean Avenue
12
Turn right onto US 41; KY 109
0.7 mi·1 min·East 9th Street
13
Turn left onto Bethel Street
301 ft·13 sec·Bethel Street
14
Arrive at destination
Bethel Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a compact 2-hour and 4-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Aim to leave during daylight hours to better manage the frequent turns and local signage you will encounter along the way. While there are no scheduled stops in the route plan, feel free to pull over whenever you need a break, as the local nature of the roads makes it easy to find a spot to rest. With a fuel budget of $20, it is wise to ensure your tank is topped off before heading out, as you will be relying on local infrastructure throughout the drive. Use the lack of designated stops to your advantage by planning your own breaks around the specific local roads you find most comfortable.
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 67.4 miles from Hodgenville, KY, or about 1h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.8 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 30 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.4 miles or 1h 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 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hopkinsville, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hodgenville, 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 Hodgenville, KY
This is one driving day of about 134.9 miles and 2h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Hodgenville, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Western Kentucky Parkway for about 98.8 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 134.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Main Street
Enter roundabout onto West Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
108.5 mi into trip|~1h 57m in
Take the exit toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 38B
Toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
6
133.6 mi into trip|~2h 24m in
Take the exit toward US 68, KY 80
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward US 68, KY 80
8
133.8 mi into trip|~2h 25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 68, KY 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward US 68, KY 80
4
134.8 mi into trip|~2h 27m in|Bethel Street
Turn left onto Bethel Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.09 one way
$42.18 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$23.16
$46.31
premium
$4.89
$25.96
$51.92
diesel
$5.61
$29.78
$59.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.5
0
$14.16
$6.48
Efficient EV
33.7
0
$11.80
$5.40
EV Truck/SUV
54
0
$18.89
$8.63
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Hodgenville, KY
Morning
in Hodgenville on Sunday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hopkinsville, KY
Late night
in Hopkinsville on Sunday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Beaver Dam, KY
67 mi in
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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
2h 27m 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.
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
For over a century people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. His early life on Kentucky's frontier shaped...
Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, e...
20 mi from route
~51 min detour
Free
near mile 37.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate experience, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate through local thoroughfares, requiring your full attention as the road conditions shift from town streets to regional connectors. Because the route is composed entirely of local roads, there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches to zone out on. Instead, the drive maintains a technical personality that keeps you engaged with the steering wheel from start to finish. Navigating the transitions between Lincoln Square and the surrounding parkways provides a distinct, hands-on driving experience that differs significantly from standard multi-lane expressway travel.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.8 mi on Western Kentucky Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Western Kentucky Parkway and I 169. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Main 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 2h 27m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 108.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 133.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The longest stretch is about 98.8 miles on Western Kentucky 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: near the start (West Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 108.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 133.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park and Mammoth Cave National Park. 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 Hopkinsville, KY before heading back.
