Nazareth, PA to McMurray, PA is 299.5 miles and takes about 6h 6m via Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 81, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Pennsylvania, traveling across the northeastern part of the state before heading southwest. The majority of the drive is on the highway, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. You can expect a relatively quick transit with minimal complications, suitable for a quick weekend getaway or a day of travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
149.8 miles from Nazareth, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike
151.8 mi
2h 47m
William Penn Highway
43.1 mi
51m
I 81
36.6 mi
44m
I 70
15.2 mi
21m
Lehigh Valley Thruway
14.8 mi
20m
Mon/Fayette Expressway
8 mi
8m
78th Division Highway
7.6 mi
8m
Nazareth Pike
4 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 151.8 mi, about 2h 47m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,785 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~380 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nazareth, PA and McMurray, PA.
1
Start on PA 191
0.5 mi·51 sec·South Broad Street
2
Turn right onto PA 191; PA 248
0.2 mi·34 sec·Easton Road
3
Turn left onto PA 191
4.0 mi·6 min·Nazareth Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·44 sec
Toward US 22 West: AllentownUse the left lane.
5
Merge onto US 22
15 mi·20 min·Lehigh Valley Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 78; US 22
43 mi·51 min·William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on I 78; US 22
7.6 mi·8 min·78th Division Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·49 sec
Exit 1BToward I 81 South: Harrisburg
9
Merge onto I 81
37 mi·44 min·I 81
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Exit 52Toward US 11: New Kingstown, MiddlesexUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
201 ft·7 sec
Toward US 11 SouthUse the right lane.
12
Merge onto US 11
1.0 mi·2 min·Harrisburg Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 76, PATP
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·37 sec
Toward I 76 West: PittsburghUse the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 76; PATP
152 mi·2 hr 47 min·Pennsylvania Turnpike
16
Take the exit onto I 70
0.4 mi·54 sec·I 70
Toward I 70 West, US 119, PA Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg, Wheeling WV, New StantonUse the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
15 mi·20 min·I 70
Toward I 70 West: New Stanton, Washington PA, Wheeling WV, Columbus OH
18
Take the exit
0.1 mi·20 sec
Toward PA 201, PA 837: Donora, Fayette City
19
Turn slight right onto PA 201
440 ft·7 sec·Rostraver Road
20
Turn slight left onto Vance Deicas Highway
1.7 mi·2 min·Vance Deicas Highway
21
Continue on Donora-Monessen Bridge
0.4 mi·34 sec·Donora-Monessen Bridge
22
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·33 sec
23
Turn straight onto PA 837
1.2 mi·2 min·McKean Avenue
24
Turn left onto PA 837
1.8 mi·2 min·Monogahela Avenue
25
Turn left onto PA 88
0.5 mi·48 sec·Country Club Road
26
Turn right onto Coyle Curtin Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Coyle Curtin Road
27
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
28
Merge onto PA Tpke 43
8.0 mi·8 min·Mon/Fayette Expressway
29
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
Exit 48Toward West Elizabeth, Finleyville
30
Turn left onto Finleyville Elrama Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Finleyville Elrama Road
31
Continue on Washington Avenue
0.3 mi·41 sec·Washington Avenue
32
At end of road, turn left onto PA 88
0.3 mi·51 sec·Washington Avenue
33
Continue on Rankintown Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Rankintown Road
34
Continue on Venetia Road
1.5 mi·3 min·Venetia Road
35
Turn right onto Bebout Road
2.9 mi·6 min·Bebout Road
36
Enter roundabout onto Valley Brook Road
184 ft·5 sec·Valley Brook Road
37
Continue on Valley Brook Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Valley Brook Road
38
Turn left onto East McMurray Road
458 ft·26 sec·East McMurray Road
39
Turn left onto Thomas Road
52 ft·2 sec·Thomas Road
40
Arrive at destination
Thomas Road
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour estimated drive time, leaving Nazareth in the morning should allow you to reach McMurray before evening. The single recommended stop suggests you can break up the drive with one planned pause, or you might find the 151.8-mile stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is a good segment to cover before a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the end of the highway segments, and budget around $49 for fuel for this 299.5-mile trip.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 149.8 miles from Nazareth, PA, or about 3h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 151.8 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 66 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 149.8 miles or 3h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McMurray, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nazareth, PA 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 Nazareth, PA
This is one driving day of about 299.5 miles and 6h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Nazareth, PA.
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 Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 151.8 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 28
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.7 and 261.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.7 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp toward US 22 West: Allentown
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 22 West: Allentown
8
107.7 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Take the exit toward US 11: New Kingstown, Middlesex
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 52
Toward US 11: New Kingstown, Middlesex
8
108 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 11 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 11 South
7
109.5 mi into trip|~2h 18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh
7
261.5 mi into trip|~5h 6m in|I 70
Take the exit onto I 70 toward I 70 West, US 119, PA Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg, Wheeling WV, New Stanton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 West, US 119, PA Turnpike 66 Toll:...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.75 one way
$95.51 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg105 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$52.85
$105.70
premium
$4.81
$56.69
$113.39
diesel
$4.80
$56.55
$113.10
Estimated Tolls: $21.32
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(151.8 mi)$19.73
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(14.8 mi)$1.03
Mon/Fayette Expressway
(8 mi)$0.56
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Tolls
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$94–$119
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 104.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
89.9
1
$31.45
$14.38
Efficient EV
74.9
0
$26.21
$11.98
EV Truck/SUV
119.8
1
$41.93
$19.17
Gas CO2
105 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Nazareth, PA
Late night
in Nazareth on Sunday
Local time
5:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Patchy Smoke
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 3:59PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
McMurray, PA
Late night
in McMurray on Sunday
Local time
5:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Smoke
NW 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 3:59PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
82°F
Martinsburg, PA
150 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
1 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
6h 6m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
near mile 113.6
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 216.9
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
24 mi from route
~59 min detour
Free
near mile 247.9
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
Free
near mile 196.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 71% of the 299.5 miles on major roads like the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 81. You'll experience a significant stretch of 151.8 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which means consistent cruising with fewer exits. Expect to transition to surface roads for the remaining portion of the drive, likely around the 220-mile mark, where you might encounter more local traffic and varied speed limits.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
40 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 151.8 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and William Penn Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
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 28 significant decision points across 299.5 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 4.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 107.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 108 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,481 ft427 ft
Total Climb
2,886 ft
Total Descent
2,380 ft
Highest Point
2,481 ft
~213.9 mi in
Elevation Range
2,054 ft
Notable High Points
1,827 ft at ~171.2 miles+693 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Nazareth, PA and McMurray, PA, road signs point toward Middlesex, Patp, Pa Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg, Wheeling, New Stanton and Washington - among others.
Nazareth is a town in Northampton County in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. It is comprised of four townships (Bushkill, Lower Nazareth, Upper Nazareth, and the Borough of Nazareth) and was established in 1740. In the Lehigh Valley, Nazareth borders Bethlehem to its southwest. The town lies in the center of the highly populated Northeast megalopolis region of the U.S., 10 miles (16 km) west of the Skylands and New Jersey state line, 75 miles (121 km) north of Philadelphia, and 84 miles (135 km) west of New York City.
Top landmarks
•Whitefield House and Gray Cottage — dwelling in Nazareth Pa.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 6m. Total distance: 299.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 6m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 151.8 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $21.32 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 25 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 McMurray, PA 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. There are 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 107.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 108 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Flight 93 National Memorial (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at McMurray, PA before the return drive.
