Connecting Lexington-Fayette to Radcliff is a straightforward 99.2-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 41 minutes. Because this trip is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $15 on fuel, making this an economical choice for a quick regional trip. Both your starting point and destination are located within Kentucky, keeping you firmly in the Southeast region for the duration of the drive. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, this route is simple enough to navigate without extensive planning. Just keep in mind that the path relies on local roads rather than major interstates, so factor that into your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.9 miles from Lexington-Fayette, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Bluegrass Parkway
70.6 mi
1h 15m
East New Circle Road
7.2 mi
10m
North Dixie Highway
4.9 mi
8m
Versailles Road
4.5 mi
6m
Ring Road
4 mi
6m
South Dixie Boulevard
3.3 mi
5m
Lexington Road
1.3 mi
1m
North Mulberry Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Bluegrass Parkway
— 70.6 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington-Fayette, KY and Radcliff, 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
7.2 mi·10 min·East New Circle Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 5BToward US 60 West: VersaillesUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto US 60
4.5 mi·6 min·Versailles Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on US 60
1.3 mi·1 min·Lexington Road
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward Elizabethtown
8
Continue on Bluegrass Parkway
71 mi·1 hr 15 min·Bluegrass Parkway
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·52 sec
10
Merge onto I 65
0.2 mi·14 sec·I 65
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 94Toward US 62, KY 61: ElizabethtownUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
212 ft·7 sec
Toward US 62: Historic Downtown Elizabethtown, ElizabethtownUse the left / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto US 62; KY 61
0.7 mi·1 min·North Mulberry Street
14
Turn right onto KY 3005
4.0 mi·6 min·Ring Road
15
Turn right onto US 31W
4.5 mi·7 min·North Dixie Highway
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 31W
0.5 mi·48 sec·North Dixie Highway
17
Continue on US 31W
3.3 mi·5 min·South Dixie Boulevard
18
Turn left onto KY 1815
0.6 mi·1 min·West Lincoln Trail Boulevard
19
Turn right onto North Woodland Drive
0.3 mi·38 sec·North Woodland Drive
20
Turn right onto Elm Road
49 ft·1 sec·Elm Road
21
Arrive at destination
Elm Road
Trip Plan
Since this is a compact 1 hour and 41-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You won't need to worry about complex stop planning, as there are no mandated stops required to complete the 99.2-mile distance. To ensure a smooth experience, keep an eye on your turn-by-turn navigation, as the reliance on local roads like US 60 West means you will encounter more intersections than you would on a standard interstate route. Budgeting $15 for fuel should cover you easily, but it is always a good idea to fill up before leaving Lexington to avoid any fuel-related stress. Given the turn-heavy nature of this path, stay alert and allow yourself a little extra time if you are traveling during peak local traffic hours.
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 49.9 miles from Lexington-Fayette, KY, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.6 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 22 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.9 miles or 1h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Radcliff, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lexington-Fayette, 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY
This is one driving day of about 99.7 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Lexington-Fayette, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Bluegrass Parkway for about 70.6 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 0.1 and 85.9 — 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
7
7.5 mi into trip|~12m in
Take the exit toward US 60 West: Versailles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward US 60 West: Versailles
5
7.9 mi into trip|~12m in|US 60 / Versailles Road
Merge onto US 60 / Versailles Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
9
85.6 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown
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 94
Toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown
9
85.9 mi into trip|~1h 39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 62: Historic Downtown Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward US 62: Historic Downtown Elizabethtown,...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.59 one way
$31.17 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$17.11
$34.23
premium
$4.89
$19.19
$38.37
diesel
$5.61
$22.01
$44.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.9
0
$10.47
$4.79
Efficient EV
24.9
0
$8.72
$3.99
EV Truck/SUV
39.9
0
$13.96
$6.38
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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 17, 2026
Origin
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Morning
in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
SW 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Radcliff, KY
Morning
in Radcliff on Sunday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Bloomfield, KY
50 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
9 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
2h 2m 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.
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 79.1
The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops a...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 10.3
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 cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate via Floyd Drive, East New Circle Road, and US 60 West, keeping you engaged with constant adjustments rather than long, straight stretches of pavement. Because the path is composed entirely of local roads, the driving experience is technical and requires your full attention at intersections and turns. This lack of high-speed highway travel means your pace will be dictated by local traffic and road configurations. Prepare for a hands-on driving experience where the road surface and surroundings change frequently as you transition from the Lexington area toward Radcliff.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.6 mi on Bluegrass Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bluegrass Parkway and East New Circle Road. 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 Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 99.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Floyd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (US 60 / Versailles Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Radcliff, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Elizabethtown along the way.
Elizabethtown
13.7 mi in|~20m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 99.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.6 miles on Bluegrass Parkway. 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 Radcliff, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Floyd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (US 60 / Versailles Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park and 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 Radcliff, KY before heading back.
