Traveling from Kokomo to Highland covers 118.3 miles across the Indiana heartland. You should plan for about 2 hours and 45 minutes of time behind the wheel, making this a straightforward day trip that rarely requires an overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $18, this route is an accessible and affordable option for those navigating the Midwest. The path utilizes a combination of SR 63, I 74, and SR 25 to bridge these two points. Because the entire journey remains within Indiana, you will experience a consistent Midwestern atmosphere from start to finish. It is a practical trek that balances efficiency with the flexibility of a single-day commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
59.1 miles from Kokomo, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 28m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
SR 63
22.9 mi
29m
I 74
20.1 mi
21m
SR 25
20 mi
28m
County Road 900 North
11.9 mi
18m
County Road West 100 North
8.9 mi
13m
State Road 26
6 mi
8m
East Main Street
4.5 mi
6m
North State Road 25
4.1 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
SR 63
— 22.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kokomo, IN and Highland, IN.
1
Start on West Sycamore Street
2.7 mi·4 min·West Sycamore Street
2
Continue on SR 22
0.3 mi·22 sec·West Sycamore Road
3
Continue on SR 22
0.4 mi·37 sec·West Sycamore Lane
4
Continue on SR 22
1.9 mi·2 min·West Jefferson Road
5
Continue on SR 22
8.9 mi·13 min·County Road West 100 North
6
Turn left onto SR 29
3.4 mi·5 min·Michigan Street
7
Continue on SR 29
1.1 mi·1 min·County Road 600 East
8
Turn right onto SR 26
6.0 mi·8 min·State Road 26
9
Continue on SR 26
4.5 mi·6 min·East Main Street
10
Continue on SR 26
0.2 mi·17 sec·County Road 900 North
11
Continue on SR 26
0.4 mi·35 sec·West Main Street
12
Continue on SR 26
12 mi·17 min·County Road 900 North
13
Continue on South Street
1.9 mi·3 min·South Street
14
Turn left onto Sagamore Parkway South
1.5 mi·2 min·Sagamore Parkway South
15
Turn right onto US 52
2.1 mi·3 min·Teal Road
16
Turn left onto US 52
0.6 mi·1 min·Old US Highway 231
17
Turn right onto US 52
0.8 mi·1 min·US 52
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on SR 25
20 mi·28 min·SR 25
Use the left lane.
19
At end of road, turn left onto SR 25
107 ft·4 sec·East Bascom Street
20
Turn right onto SR 25
0.4 mi·1 min·North Vine Street
21
At end of road, turn right onto SR 25
117 ft·8 sec·West Wabash Street
22
Turn left onto SR 25
0.4 mi·42 sec·Garfield Street
23
Continue on SR 25
4.1 mi·5 min·North State Road 25
24
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward I 74 WestUse the right lane.
25
Merge onto I 74
20 mi·21 min·I 74
26
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 4Toward SR 63: Newport, Terre Haute
27
Turn left onto SR 63
23 mi·29 min·SR 63
28
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
29
Turn left onto US 36
0.4 mi·47 sec·US 36
30
Turn sharp left onto East County Road 600 South
0.1 mi·29 sec·East County Road 600 South
31
Continue on East County Road 600 South
0.4 mi·1 min·East County Road 600 South
32
Turn left
18 ft·1 sec
33
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive, you have the advantage of scheduling flexibility for your departure. You only need to plan for one scheduled stop to keep your energy levels high throughout the 2 hour and 45 minute trip. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge early on, as the $18 cost estimate assumes consistent driving conditions across the varied road types. To make the most of your travel, try to avoid peak traffic hours when transitioning onto the highway segments. Prioritize a single, well-timed break to stretch your legs, especially given the transition between the different state roads and the interstate portions of your journey.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.1 miles from Kokomo, IN, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.9 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 26 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.1 miles or 1h 28m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Highland, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kokomo, IN 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 Kokomo, IN
This is one driving day of about 118.3 miles and 2h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Kokomo, IN.
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 SR 63 for about 22.9 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 18.6 and 117.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
18.6 mi into trip|~27m in|SR 26 / State Road 26
Turn right onto SR 26 / State Road 26
Navigation decision point
5
47.5 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|US 52
Turn right onto US 52
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
73.3 mi into trip|~1h 49m in
Take the ramp toward I 74 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 74 West
6
93.6 mi into trip|~2h 11m in
Take the exit toward SR 63: Newport, Terre Haute
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 4
Toward SR 63: Newport, Terre Haute
5
117.7 mi into trip|~2h 43m in|East County Road 600 South
Turn sharp left onto East County Road 600 South
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.49 one way
$36.99 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$20.31
$40.61
premium
$4.89
$22.77
$45.53
diesel
$5.61
$26.12
$52.24
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: 41.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.5
0
$12.42
$5.68
Efficient EV
29.6
0
$10.35
$4.73
EV Truck/SUV
47.3
0
$16.56
$7.57
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 12, 2026
Origin
Kokomo, IN
Afternoon
in Kokomo on Sunday
Local time
12:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 16 to 24 mph61% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Highland, IN
Afternoon
in Highland on Sunday
Local time
12:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Shadeland, IN
59 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
12 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 45m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a mixed driving profile, alternating between fast-paced interstates and localized state routes. You will spend roughly 56% of your time on highways, providing a steady rhythm to your travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter lasts 22.9 miles while driving along SR 63. Expect the road personality to shift as you transition between larger thoroughfares and smaller state roads. This variety keeps the driving experience engaging without becoming overly demanding on the navigator.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.9 mi on SR 63.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 18.6 miles in near SR 26 / State Road 26.
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 45m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 18.6 miles (SR 26 / State Road 26): Navigation decision point; at 47.5 miles (US 52): Lane positioning matters here; at 73.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
811 ft505 ft
Total Climb
184 ft
Total Descent
369 ft
Highest Point
811 ft
Elevation Range
307 ft
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 Kokomo, IN to Highland, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Terre Haute along the way.
Kokomo is in Indiana, in the United States of America. Kokomo, named after a Miami chief, is known as "The City Of Firsts" due to innovations that occurred in tandem with the birth of the natural gas extraction industry there, especially as it pertained to automobile manufacturing. On a less dignified note, it also holds notoriety of hosting the largest Ku Klux Klan gathering in history which took place in 1923, and of early stigmatization surrounding HIV and AIDS with the emergence of Ryan White, an adolescent who was shunned from school after acquiring the virus through a hemophilia related-transfusion.
The longest stretch is about 22.9 miles on SR 63. 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 18.6 miles (SR 26 / State Road 26): Navigation decision point; at 47.5 miles (US 52): Lane positioning matters here; at 73.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland, IN before heading back.
