The drive from Newburg, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 77 miles and takes about 1h 37m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, South Hurstbourne Parkway, Frankfort Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.5 miles on I 64.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.04 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.
Midpoint
38.5 miles from Newburg, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
42.5 mi
46m
South Hurstbourne Parkway
6.7 mi
12m
Frankfort Road
5.9 mi
6m
Keene Road
5.3 mi
7m
Pinckard Pike
4.5 mi
6m
Keene-Versailles Road
2.1 mi
2m
Troy Pike
2.1 mi
3m
Frankfort Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 42.5 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Newburg, KY and Nicholasville, KY.
1
Start on Poplar Level Road
84 ft·6 sec·Poplar Level Road
2
Continue on KY 864
0.8 mi·1 min·Poplar Level Road
Use the left lane.
3
At end of road, turn left onto KY 864; KY 1747
0.4 mi·40 sec·Fern Valley Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on KY 1747
6.7 mi·12 min·South Hurstbourne Parkway
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward I 64 East: LexingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 64
43 mi·46 min·I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 58Toward US 60: Frankfort, Versailles
8
Keep slight right at fork
249 ft·6 sec
Toward Versailles
9
Merge onto US 60
0.6 mi·45 sec·Versailles Road
10
Continue on US 60
1.8 mi·2 min·Frankfort Highway
11
Continue on US 60
5.9 mi·6 min·Frankfort Road
12
Turn slight right onto US 60 Business; US 62
0.8 mi·1 min·Frankfort Street
13
Continue on US 60 Business; US 62
1.4 mi·2 min·North Main Street
14
Continue on KY 33
2.1 mi·3 min·Troy Pike
15
Turn left onto KY 169
4.5 mi·6 min·Pinckard Pike
16
Continue on KY 169
2.1 mi·2 min·Keene-Versailles Road
17
Continue on KY 169
0.4 mi·40 sec·Pinchard Pike
18
Turn right onto KY 169; KY 1267
0.2 mi·21 sec·Keene Road
19
Continue on KY 169
5.1 mi·7 min·Keene Road
20
Continue on KY 169
0.8 mi·1 min·North 3rd Street
21
Turn left onto KY 169
0.2 mi·22 sec·West Oak Street
22
Turn right onto US 27 Business
0.1 mi·12 sec·North Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
US 27 Business
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.5 miles from Newburg, KY, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.5 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 17 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.5 miles or 48m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nicholasville, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Newburg, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Newburg, KY
This is one driving day of about 77 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Newburg, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 42.5 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 51 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|KY 864; KY 1747 / Fern Valley Road
At end of road, turn left onto KY 864; KY 1747 / Fern Valley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
7.9 mi into trip|~14m in
Take the ramp toward I 64 East: Lexington
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 64 East: Lexington
5
8.2 mi into trip|~15m in|I 64
Merge onto I 64
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
50.7 mi into trip|~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 60: Frankfort, Versailles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 58
Toward US 60: Frankfort, Versailles
6
51 mi into trip|~1h 1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Versailles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Versailles
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.04 one way
$24.08 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$13.22
$26.43
premium
$4.89
$14.82
$29.64
diesel
$5.61
$17.00
$34.00
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.1
0
$8.08
$3.70
Efficient EV
19.3
0
$6.74
$3.08
EV Truck/SUV
30.8
0
$10.78
$4.93
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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 Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Newburg, KY
Afternoon
in Newburg on Sunday
Local time
2:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Nicholasville, KY
Afternoon
in Nicholasville on Sunday
Local time
2:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
30 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
1h 37m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
77 mi in 1h 37m, mostly highway — 42.5 mi of that is on I 64.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.5 mi on I 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and South Hurstbourne Parkway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near KY 864; KY 1747 / Fern Valley Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 77 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 0.8 miles (KY 864; KY 1747 / Fern Valley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Newburg, KY to Nicholasville, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Versailles along the way.
Nicholasville is a city of 31,000 (2019) in Jessamine County in the Bluegrass Region. The city serves as both a residential area for Lexington-area commuters and as an employment and shopping center for central Kentucky.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 37m. Total distance: 77 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.5 miles on I 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 Nicholasville, 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: at 0.8 miles (KY 864; KY 1747 / Fern Valley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Nicholasville, KY before heading back.
