Mount Carmel, PA to Headlee Heights, PA is 44.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via Golden Oaks Road and I-79, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, offering a largely local driving experience. Given its short duration and straightforward path, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll be navigating a series of turns and local roads for much of the journey, so keep your attention focused.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Golden Oaks Road
12.2 mi
22m
Roy E. Furman Highway
6.9 mi
12m
I 79
6.6 mi
7m
Deep Valley Road
4.7 mi
11m
Garards Fort Road
3.7 mi
6m
Mapletown Road
2.2 mi
5m
Kirby Road
1.6 mi
3m
Isiminger Road
1.4 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Golden Oaks Road
— 12.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Carmel, PA and Headlee Heights, PA.
1
Start on T377
0.2 mi·45 sec·Mount Carmel Ridge Road
2
Turn right onto T318
1.4 mi·5 min·Isiminger Road
3
Continue on Coon Run Road
0.6 mi·2 min·Coon Run Road
4
Turn left onto Deep Valley Road
4.7 mi·11 min·Deep Valley Road
5
Continue on Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
6
Turn straight onto PA 18
12 mi·22 min·Golden Oaks Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto PA 18; PA 21
5.9 mi·10 min·Roy E. Furman Highway
Use the right lane.
8
Continue on PA 21
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
9
Continue on PA 21
0.3 mi·52 sec·West High Street
10
Turn right onto US 19; PA 21
432 ft·20 sec·South Richhill Street
11
Turn left onto US 19; PA 21
1.0 mi·3 min·West Greene Street
12
Turn slight right onto US 19; PA 21
0.5 mi·1 min·East High Street
13
Turn left onto PA 21
1.0 mi·1 min·Roy E. Furman Highway
Use the left lane.
14
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 79 South: Morgantown
15
Merge onto I 79
6.6 mi·7 min·I 79
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 7Toward Garards Fort, KirbyUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto Kirby Road
187 ft·4 sec·Kirby Road
18
Continue on Kirby Fort Road
0.1 mi·12 sec·Kirby Fort Road
19
Continue on Kirby Road
1.5 mi·2 min·Kirby Road
20
Turn sharp right onto Garards Fort Road
3.7 mi·6 min·Garards Fort Road
21
Continue on Fordyce Road
479 ft·13 sec·Fordyce Road
22
Continue on Mapletown Road
2.2 mi·5 min·Mapletown Road
23
Arrive at destination
Mapletown Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Mount Carmel, PA, 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 19.9 and 38.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
19.9 mi into trip|~43m in|PA 18; PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway
At end of road, turn right onto PA 18; PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
26.6 mi into trip|~56m in|US 19; PA 21 / South Richhill Street
Turn right onto US 19; PA 21 / South Richhill Street
Navigation decision point
5
28.2 mi into trip|~1h in|PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway
Turn left onto PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
36.1 mi into trip|~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward Garards Fort, Kirby
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 7
Toward Garards Fort, Kirby
5
38.1 mi into trip|~1h 14m in|Garards Fort Road
Turn sharp right onto Garards Fort Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.03 one way
$14.06 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$7.78
$15.56
premium
$4.81
$8.35
$16.70
diesel
$4.80
$8.33
$16.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13.2
0
$4.63
$2.12
Efficient EV
11
0
$3.86
$1.76
EV Truck/SUV
17.6
0
$6.17
$2.82
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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 Jun 28, 2026
Origin
Mount Carmel, PA
Morning
in Mount Carmel on Sunday
Local time
8:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Areas Of Fog
NE 1 mph43% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued June 28 at 6:50PM EDT until June 28 at 8:15PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued June 28 at 2:11PM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Headlee Heights, PA
Morning
in Headlee Heights on Sunday
Local time
8:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Areas Of Fog
E 1 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued June 28 at 6:50PM EDT until June 28 at 8:15PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued June 28 at 2:11PM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 26m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the majority of this 44.1-mile trip. With only about 15% of the route on highways like I-79, you'll spend most of your time on local roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 12.2 miles on Golden Oaks Road. This means you'll be adjusting your speed and direction frequently, making it less of a highway cruise and more of an engaging local exploration.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.2 mi on Golden Oaks 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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 19.9 miles in near PA 18; PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway.
Driving Effort5/10
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 44.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 19.9 miles (PA 18; PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.6 miles (US 19; PA 21 / South Richhill Street): Navigation decision point; at 28.2 miles (PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,512 ft966 ft
Total Climb
1,160 ft
Total Descent
1,429 ft
Highest Point
1,512 ft
~12.6 mi in
Elevation Range
546 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Mount Carmel, PA and Headlee Heights, PA, road signs point toward Garards Fort and Kirby.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 44.1 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 (15%). 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 12.2 miles on Golden Oaks 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 19.9 miles (PA 18; PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.6 miles (US 19; PA 21 / South Richhill Street): Navigation decision point; at 28.2 miles (PA 21 / Roy E. Furman Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Fort Necessity National Battlefield. 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 Headlee Heights, PA before heading back.
