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Trip from Morgantown, WV to Craigsville, WV

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 31m

Distance

128.7 mi

207 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 21m ★
6 AM
2h 31m
8 AM
2h 52m
10 AM
2h 39m
12 PM
2h 36m
3 PM
2h 40m
5 PM
2h 51m
8 PM
2h 25m

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

Best Time
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Download GPX
city in and county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States

Morgantown, WV

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Craigsville, WV, WV

Craigsville, WV

Federated Art

Trip Overview

The drive from Morgantown, WV to Craigsville, WV covers 128.7 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway, US 19, Upper Millcreek Telsa Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.3 miles on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.72 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

64.4 miles from Morgantown, WV

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 12m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Senator Jennings Randolph Highway 90.3 mi 1h 37m
US 19 10.3 mi 12m
Upper Millcreek Telsa Road 8.6 mi 9m
Scenic Highway 6.1 mi 10m
Webster Road 4.8 mi 7m
Hookersville 2.1 mi 3m
Don Knotts Boulevard 1.9 mi 2m
University Avenue 1.5 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Senator Jennings Randolph Highway — 90.3 mi, about 1h 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Morgantown, WV and Craigsville, WV.

1

Start on High Street

0.1 mi · 29 sec · High Street
2

Turn right onto Kirk Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Kirk Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto US 119

1.5 mi · 2 min · University Avenue
4

Continue on US 119

1.9 mi · 2 min · Don Knotts Boulevard
5

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 68 West
6

Merge onto I 68

0.4 mi · 27 sec · I 68
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 53 sec
Toward I-79 S: Fairmont
8

Merge onto I 79

90 mi · 1 hr 37 min · Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
9

Take the exit onto US 19

0.3 mi · 41 sec · US 19
Toward US 19 South: Beckley
10

Keep slight left at fork

318 ft · 8 sec
11

Turn right onto Upper Millcreek Telsa Road

8.6 mi · 9 min · Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
12

Continue on US 19

10 mi · 11 min · US 19
13

Turn left onto CR 19/26

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Spruce Run Road
14

At end of road, turn right onto CR 19/41

2.1 mi · 3 min · Hookersville
15

Turn left onto WV 55

6.1 mi · 10 min · Scenic Highway
16

Turn straight onto WV 55

4.8 mi · 7 min · Webster Road
17

Continue on WV 55

0.7 mi · 1 min · Callahan Road
18

Continue on WV 55

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Summersville & Slavins Cabin Road
19

Turn right onto WV 20; WV 55

54 ft · 0 sec · Craigsville Road
20

Arrive at destination

WV 20; WV 55

Trip Plan

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 64.4 miles from Morgantown, WV, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 90.3 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 28 miles or 33m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 64.4 miles or 1h 12m 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 57m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Craigsville, WV than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Morgantown, WV 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 Morgantown, WV

This is one driving day of about 128.7 miles and 2h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Morgantown, WV.
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 Senator Jennings Randolph Highway for about 90.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Glenville, WV, WV

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Glenville, WV

64 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

Clarksburg, WV

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Glenville, WV

Meal break

The midpoint is around 64.4 miles from Morgantown, WV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Senator Jennings Randolph Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 90.3 miles.

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 96.1 — 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 | Kirk Street

Turn right onto Kirk Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 119 / University Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto US 119 / University Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
4.6 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I-79 S: Fairmont

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I-79 S: Fairmont
4
95.8 mi into trip | ~1h 45m in | US 19

Take the exit onto US 19 toward US 19 South: Beckley

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 19 South: Beckley
4
96.1 mi into trip | ~1h 46m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.72 one way

$39.44 round trip

$3.89/gal 25.4 MPG avg 45 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.27 $21.64 $43.28
premium $4.64 $23.50 $46.99
diesel $5.60 $28.37 $56.74

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 45 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 38.6 0 $13.51 $6.18
Efficient EV 32.2 0 $11.26 $5.15
EV Truck/SUV 51.5 0 $18.02 $8.24

Gas CO2

45 kg

EV CO2

15 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.

Forecast as of Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Morgantown, WV

Late night in Morgantown on Wednesday

Local time

2:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 1 to 7 mph 18% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 4:46PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 12:59PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA

Destination

Craigsville, WV

Late night in Craigsville on Wednesday

Local time

2:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Mostly Clear

SW 1 mph 12% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 4:46PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 12:59PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA

83°F

Glenville, WV

64 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

5 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 31m 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.

Gauley River National Recreation Area

Gauley River National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The 25 miles of free-flowing Gauley River and the six miles of the Meadow River pass through scenic gorges and valleys containing a wide variety of natural and cultural features. The Gauley River cont...

17 mi from route ~41 min detour Free near mile 115.4
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

128.7 mi in 2h 31m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 90.3 mi on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Kirk Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 128.7 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 (Kirk Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 119 / University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,312 ft 827 ft

Total Climb

2,695 ft

Total Descent

1,270 ft

Highest Point

2,312 ft

~128.7 mi in

Elevation Range

1,485 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Morgantown, WV

Full guide →

Founded 1772

Morgantown is the third largest city in West Virginia, and is the county seat of Monongalia County. It is home to West Virginia University, the state's flagship public university and university with the largest student body in the state. The city has 30,347 residents (2020). As the largest city in the northern half of West Virginia, and sitting at the junction of I-79 and I-68, Morgantown serves as a major regional cultural center and hub for business, medicine, shopping and dining.

Top landmarks

  • • Men's Hall — historic dormitory associated with the West Virginia University
  • • Metropolitan Theatre — theater and movie theater in Morgantown, West Virginia
  • • Stalnaker Hall

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 128.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 90.3 miles on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway. 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 Craigsville, WV 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Kirk Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 119 / University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Yes — Gauley River National Recreation Area. 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 Craigsville, WV 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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