Origin
Mount Sterling, KY
Morning in Mount Sterling on Tuesday
Local time
10:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Sterling, KY to Richmond, 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
48m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Sterling, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Mount Sterling and Richmond, Kentucky, you are in for a short, straightforward trip covering 38.8 miles. Expect to spend about 46 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You will navigate through the Southeast region entirely on local roads, bypassing major highways for a more grounded experience. With a modest fuel budget of just $6, it is an incredibly affordable route for a casual afternoon outing. Because the drive is so compact, you have the flexibility to plan your departure time around your own schedule without worrying about long-distance fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate Highway 64 | 12.9 mi | 13m |
| Boonesboro Road | 12.4 mi | 15m |
| I 75 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| Lexington Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Boone Avenue | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Maple Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Maysville Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Interstate Highway 64
— 12.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Sterling, KY and Richmond, KY.
1
Start on North Bank Street
113 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Bank Street
2
Turn left onto US 60; KY 713
387 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 460; KY 11
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Maysville Street
4
Continue on US 460; KY 11
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Maysville Road
5
Turn sharp left
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 64
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Interstate Highway 64
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward KY 627: Paris , Winchester
8
Turn left onto KY 627
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Paris Road
9
Continue on KY 627
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Maple Street
10
Turn right onto KY 627
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Boone Avenue
11
Continue on KY 627
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Boonesboro Road
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 75 South
13
Merge onto I 75
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 75
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 90B
Toward US 25 North, US 421 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto US 25; US 421
151 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lexington Road
16
Continue on US 25; US 421
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Road
17
Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lexington Road
18
Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Main Street
19
Turn left onto KY 388
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
North 2nd Street
20
Arrive at destination
KY 388
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Mount Sterling, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 35.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 60; KY 713 / West Main Street
Turn left onto US 60; KY 713 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
7
1.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
14.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward KY 627: Paris , Winchester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward KY 627: Paris , Winchester
5
30.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward I 75 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 75 South
8
35.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward US 25 North, US 421 North
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 90B
Toward US 25 North, US 421 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.96 one way
$11.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.54 | $13.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.41 | $16.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Richmond, KY
Morning in Richmond on Tuesday
Local time
10:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Winchester, KY
19 mi in
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
48m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the route utilizes local arteries like West Main Street, North Maysville Street, and Maysville Road, you will find a 0% highway share throughout the entire journey. The lack of high-speed stretches means you should anticipate a slower, more deliberate pace as you transition between these two Kentucky towns. This path is entirely local, so prepare for varied road conditions that require your full attention compared to a standard highway haul. It is a practical, no-frills path that prioritizes direct local navigation over high-speed transit.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on Interstate Highway 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 60; KY 713 / West Main 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 38.1 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: near the start (US 60; KY 713 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,004 ft
654 ft
Total Climb
487 ft
Total Descent
510 ft
Highest Point
1,004 ft
~5.4 mi in
Elevation Range
350 ft
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 Mount Sterling, KY to Richmond, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Winchester along the way.
Winchester
14.9 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Mount Sterling, KY
Full guide →Mount Sterling is a city in Kentucky. While it lies within the state tourism region known as the Kentucky Appalachians, it is locally considered part of the Bluegrass region, which covers a noticeably larger area than the state-defined tourism region of that name.
Arriving in Richmond, KY
Full guide →Richmond is a city in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Lexington. The county seat of Madison County, Richmond is best known as the home of Eastern Kentucky University.
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 48m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.9 miles on Interstate Highway 64. 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 Richmond, 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: near the start (US 60; KY 713 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Richmond, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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