Origin
Hopkinsville, KY
Late night in Hopkinsville on Sunday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hopkinsville, KY to Morehead, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hopkinsville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Morehead, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel the 43 miles between Hopkinsville and Morehead, you can expect a quick transit of about 55 minutes. This trek is best suited as a straightforward day trip, as the short duration makes an overnight stay unnecessary. You will primarily utilize a combination of I-169, the Western Kentucky Parkway, and St-1065 to complete the journey. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, this is a highly economical route for those looking to move efficiently between these two Kentucky locations. Both the starting point and the destination are situated within the Southeast region, ensuring a consistent regional experience throughout your drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 169 | 24.4 mi | 26m |
| Western Kentucky Parkway | 13.5 mi | 14m |
| St-1065 | 1 mi | 3m |
| St-1047 | 0.8 mi | 3m |
| West 9th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| St-1122 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| McLean Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| KY 181 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 169
— 24.4 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hopkinsville, KY and Morehead, KY.
1
Start on Bethel Street
301 ft
·
17 sec
·
Bethel Street
2
Turn right onto US 68; KY 80; KY 109
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 9th Street
3
Turn left onto US 68; KY 80
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
McLean Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
5
Merge onto I 169
24 mi
·
26 min
·
I 169
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 34A
Toward Elizabethtown
7
Merge onto Western Kentucky Parkway
14 mi
·
14 min
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 53
Toward KY 181: Greenville, Sacramento
9
Turn left onto KY 181
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
KY 181
10
Turn right onto St-1074
168 ft
·
9 sec
·
St-1074
11
Turn right onto St-1065
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
St-1065
12
Turn right onto St-1047
0.8 mi
·
3 min
·
St-1047
13
Turn left onto St-1131
387 ft
·
18 sec
·
St-1131
14
Turn left onto St-1122
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
St-1122
15
Arrive at destination
St-1122
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Hopkinsville, KY, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 40.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 68; KY 80; KY 109 / West 9th Street
Turn right onto US 68; KY 80; KY 109 / West 9th Street
Navigation decision point
5
25.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Elizabethtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 34A
Toward Elizabethtown
6
39.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward KY 181: Greenville, Sacramento
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 53
Toward KY 181: Greenville, Sacramento
4
40.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
KY 181
Turn left onto KY 181
Navigation decision point
4
40.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
St-1065
Turn right onto St-1065
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.72 one way
$13.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.38 | $14.76 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.27 | $16.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Morehead, KY
Late night in Morehead on Sunday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
23 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
55m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as roughly 95% of this route is dedicated to major thoroughfares. You will spend a significant portion of your time on larger roads, including a longest uninterrupted stretch of 24.4 miles on I-169. The drive maintains a fast-paced, functional personality rather than a winding backroad feel, allowing you to settle into a steady rhythm behind the wheel. As you transition between the parkway and local state routes, the environment remains consistent with high-speed travel. It is a no-nonsense commute that favors efficiency over technical maneuvering or frequent lane changes.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.4 mi on I 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 169 and Western Kentucky Parkway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 68; KY 80; KY 109 / West 9th Street.
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 43 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (US 68; KY 80; KY 109 / West 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 39.8 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hopkinsville, KY and Morehead, KY, road signs point toward Elizabethtown and Sacramento.
Elizabethtown
25.8 mi in
|
~28m
Sacramento
39.8 mi in
|
~44m
About the Cities
Starting in Hopkinsville, KY
Full guide →Hopkinsville , often nicknamed "Hoptown" by locals, is a town located in Kentucky's Western Waterlands.
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 55m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.4 miles on I 169. 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 0.1 miles (US 68; KY 80; KY 109 / West 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 39.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Morehead, KY 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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