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Trip from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Owenton, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 5m

Distance

53.8 mi

87 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 0m ★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 2m

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

city in and county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Owenton, KY, KY

Owenton, KY

Vietnam Hidden Light

Trip Overview

Lexington-Fayette, KY to Owenton, KY is 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 5m via US 127 and I 64, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short trip, ideal for a single day, taking you from the Southeast region of Kentucky to another within the same state. The drive is primarily highway-focused, making it a straightforward connection between these two points. With a recommended one-day duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 127 24.2 mi 27m
I 64 20.7 mi 22m
Versailles Road 2.5 mi 4m
Wilkinson Boulevard 1.5 mi 2m
East New Circle Road 1.4 mi 2m
North Broadway 1.2 mi 2m
South Main Street 0.6 mi <1m
West Seminary Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 127 — 24.2 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington-Fayette, KY and Owenton, 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 · 24 sec · Floyd Drive
3

Turn left onto KY 4

1.4 mi · 2 min · East New Circle Road
Use the straight lane.
4

Turn right onto US 27; US 68

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left

0.5 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 75 North, I 64 West: Cincinnati, Louisville
6

Merge onto I 64; I 75

4.1 mi · 4 min · I 64; I 75
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 64

17 mi · 17 min · I 64
Toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 58 Toward US 60: Versailles, Frankfort Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

233 ft · 7 sec
Toward Frankfort
10

Merge onto US 60

2.5 mi · 4 min · Versailles Road
11

Continue on US 421

1.5 mi · 2 min · Wilkinson Boulevard
12

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 16 sec
13

Keep slight left at fork

410 ft · 11 sec
14

Turn left onto US 127

24 mi · 27 min · US 127
15

At end of road, turn left onto US 127; KY 22; KY 227

0.6 mi · 49 sec · South Main Street
16

Turn left onto KY 22

0.4 mi · 41 sec · West Seminary Street
17

Arrive at destination

KY 22

Where to Stop

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

county seat city in Franklin County, Kentucky, USA and Kentucky federated state capital city

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Frankfort, KY

27 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

Georgetown, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Frankfort, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Lexington-Fayette, 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 24.3 — 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

6
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 27; US 68 / North Broadway

Turn right onto US 27; US 68 / North Broadway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
8
7.4 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 64

Keep slight left at fork onto I 64 toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville
8
24.1 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the exit toward US 60: Versailles, Frankfort

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 58 Toward US 60: Versailles, Frankfort
6
24.3 mi into trip | ~29m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Frankfort

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Frankfort

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.41 one way

$16.82 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.23 $18.47
premium $4.89 $10.35 $20.71
diesel $5.61 $11.88 $23.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.1 0 $5.65 $2.58
Efficient EV 13.5 0 $4.71 $2.15
EV Truck/SUV 21.5 0 $7.53 $3.44

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Morning in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday

Local time

6:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Owenton, KY

Morning in Owenton on Sunday

Local time

6:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

1 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

1h 5m 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?

This route is largely highway-focused, with an 84% highway share, suggesting a good portion of your drive will be on faster roads like I 64 and US 127. You'll experience a longest stretch of 24.2 miles on US 127, providing a continuous segment of travel without frequent interruptions. The road character shifts as you progress, offering the efficiency of highway driving for much of the journey. Expect a smooth, predictable drive for the majority of the 53.8 miles.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.2 mi on US 127.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 127 and I 64. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Floyd Drive.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.8 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.7 miles (US 27; US 68 / North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

Between Lexington-Fayette, KY and Owenton, KY, road signs point toward Louisville and Frankfort.

Louisville

2.9 mi in | ~5m

Frankfort

24.1 mi in | ~29m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 53.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 24.2 miles on US 127. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Owenton, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 1.7 miles (US 27; US 68 / North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Owenton, 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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Explore more options from Lexington-Fayette, KY or browse trips ending in Owenton, KY.

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