Origin
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Morning in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Monticello, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
9.8 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Monticello, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Trip Overview
This quick 9.8-mile drive from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Monticello, KY takes about 17 minutes and is perfect for a single day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at just $2, it's an economical option for exploring the Southeast region of Kentucky. The route sticks to local roads, meaning you'll navigate through familiar city streets and neighborhoods rather than high-speed highways, as indicated by the 0% highway share. This short distance makes it easy to fit into any itinerary, offering a straightforward journey without the need for an overnight stop. You can expect a relaxed pace throughout this entirely local drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East New Circle Road | 6.9 mi | 10m |
| West Reynolds Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Keithshire Way | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Nicholasville Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Holwyn Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Floyd Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Halifax Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East New Circle Road
— 6.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington-Fayette, KY and Monticello, KY.
1
Start on this road
0.1 mi
·
42 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Floyd Drive
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Floyd Drive
3
Turn right onto KY 4
6.9 mi
·
10 min
·
East New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 19
Toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington
Use the slight right lane.
5
Turn left onto US 27
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Nicholasville Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto West Reynolds Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Reynolds Road
7
Enter roundabout onto Keithshire Way
307 ft
·
6 sec
·
Keithshire Way
8
Continue on Keithshire Way
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Keithshire Way
9
Turn left onto Holwyn Road
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Holwyn Road
10
Turn left onto Halifax Drive
507 ft
·
17 sec
·
Halifax Drive
11
Arrive at destination
Halifax Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 9.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Floyd Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Floyd Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
KY 4 / East New Circle Road
Turn right onto KY 4 / East New Circle Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 19
Toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington
6
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
US 27 / Nicholasville Road
Turn left onto US 27 / Nicholasville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
9.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Halifax Drive
Turn left onto Halifax Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.53 one way
$3.06 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.68 | $3.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.89 | $3.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Monticello, KY
Morning in Monticello on Sunday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°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
4 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
17m 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?
Prepare for a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with no segments on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.9 miles along East New Circle Road. You'll primarily be navigating through East New Circle Road, West Reynolds Road, and Keithshire Way. This means you'll be experiencing a more intimate, in-town driving experience, with frequent intersections and changes in speed as you move through the local landscape. The character of the drive is consistently local, offering a steady flow of urban and suburban scenery without any high-speed highway sections to break it up.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.9 mi on East New Circle Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Floyd Drive.
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 9.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 (Floyd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (KY 4 / East New Circle Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
On the drive from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Monticello, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Lexington along the way.
Lexington
7.2 mi in
|
~11m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 9.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.9 miles on East New Circle Road. 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 (Floyd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (KY 4 / East New Circle Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Monticello, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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