Origin
Meads, KY
Late night in Meads on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meads, KY to Prestonsburg, KY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
72.5 mi
117 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meads, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Prestonsburg, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 72.5-mile drive from Meads, KY to Prestonsburg, KY will take approximately 1 hour and 26 minutes to complete. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, with an estimated fuel cost of around $11. The route primarily utilizes Louisa Road and US 23, with a small portion on I-64. You'll be staying within the Southeast region of Kentucky for the entirety of this journey. Expect a turn-heavy local drive experience that's manageable for a day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Louisa Road | 55.9 mi | 1h 3m |
| US 23 | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| I 64 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| US Route 60 | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| KY 180 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| KY 1428 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Lake Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| Midland Trail Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Louisa Road
— 55.9 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meads, KY and Prestonsburg, KY.
1
Start on this road
56 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on Midland Trail Road
353 ft
·
16 sec
·
Midland Trail Road
3
Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive
110 ft
·
5 sec
·
Marsh Hill Drive
4
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
US Route 60
5
Continue on US 60
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US Route 60
6
Continue on KY 180
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
KY 180
7
Turn left
0.6 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto I 64
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
I 64
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 191
Toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland
10
Turn right onto US 23
56 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
Louisa Road
11
Continue on US 23; US 460
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
US 23; US 460
12
Turn left onto KY 1428
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
KY 1428
13
At end of road, turn right onto KY 1428
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lake Drive
Use the right lane.
14
Arrive at destination
KY 1428
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.2 miles from Meads, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 71.4 — 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
|
Marsh Hill Drive
Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 60 / US Route 60
Turn right onto US 60 / US Route 60
Navigation decision point
3
4.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
9.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 191
Toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland
6
71.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
KY 1428 / North Lake Drive
At end of road, turn right onto KY 1428 / North Lake Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.33 one way
$22.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.44 | $24.89 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.95 | $27.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.01 | $32.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.61 | $3.48 |
| Efficient EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29 | 0 | $10.15 | $4.64 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Prestonsburg, KY
Late night in Prestonsburg on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
20 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 26m 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 offers a "turn-heavy local drive" profile, meaning you'll be navigating a series of turns rather than cruising on long, straightaways. Only 20% of the drive is on highways, with the majority being local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 55.9 miles on Louisa Road, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before the local roads resume. The road character will likely shift between the faster sections of US 23 and I-64 to the more winding nature of Louisa Road.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.9 mi on Louisa Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Marsh Hill Drive.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Marsh Hill Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 60 / US Route 60): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 Meads, KY to Prestonsburg, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Ashland along the way.
Ashland
9.5 mi in
|
~13m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 72.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (20%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.9 miles on Louisa 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 (Marsh Hill Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 60 / US Route 60): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Prestonsburg, 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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