Oak Hill to Altoona is 19.2 miles and takes about 30m via North Jackson Street/SR 93/US 35, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Ohio, making it a convenient local trip. It's a simple hop between two points in the Midwest region. Consider this route if you're looking for a quick connection with minimal time commitment. The drive is primarily on local roads with some highway segments.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Jackson Street
10.9 mi
16m
SR 93
3 mi
5m
US 35
2 mi
2m
Main Street
1.5 mi
2m
Front Street
0.4 mi
<1m
James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway
0.3 mi
<1m
Maple Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
North Jackson Street
— 10.9 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Hill, OH and Altoona, OH.
1
Start on SR 279
49 ft·3 sec·Maple Street
2
Turn left onto SR 93; SR 279
0.4 mi·39 sec·Front Street
3
Turn left onto SR 93
11 mi·16 min·North Jackson Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·21 sec
5
Merge onto SR 32; SR 124
0.3 mi·19 sec·James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward US 35: Gallipolis, Chillicothe
7
Keep slight left at fork
419 ft·13 sec
8
Merge onto US 35
2.0 mi·2 min·US 35
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward SR 93: Coalton, JacksonUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto SR 93
3.0 mi·5 min·SR 93
11
Turn right onto SR 93
1.5 mi·2 min·Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
SR 93
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|SR 93; SR 279 / Front Street
Turn left onto SR 93; SR 279 / Front Street
Navigation decision point
4
11.6 mi into trip|~17m in|SR 32; SR 124 / James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway
Merge onto SR 32; SR 124 / James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
11.9 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit toward US 35: Gallipolis, Chillicothe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 35: Gallipolis, Chillicothe
4
12.3 mi into trip|~18m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
14.4 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the exit toward SR 93: Coalton, Jackson
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 SR 93: Coalton, Jackson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.90 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg7 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$3.33
$6.65
premium
$4.99
$3.77
$7.54
diesel
$4.80
$3.63
$7.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 71% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
5.8
0
$2.02
$0.92
Efficient EV
4.8
0
$1.68
$0.77
EV Truck/SUV
7.7
0
$2.69
$1.23
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Oak Hill, OH
Late night
in Oak Hill on Monday
Local time
3:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Clear
W 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 8:18PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 8:18PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Destination
Altoona, OH
Late night
in Altoona on Monday
Local time
3:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Clear
NW 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 8:18PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 8:18PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
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
30m 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 this 19.2-mile journey. With only 26% of the route on highways, you'll spend most of your time navigating local streets and state routes like SR 93 and US 35. The longest continuous stretch without a significant turn or change in road type is 10.9 miles along North Jackson Street. This means you'll be actively engaged with the road, making frequent adjustments rather than settling into a long, straight cruise.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.9 mi on North Jackson Street.
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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 93; SR 279 / Front Street.
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 19.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 (SR 93; SR 279 / Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles (SR 32; SR 124 / James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
817 ft663 ft
Total Climb
284 ft
Total Descent
255 ft
Highest Point
817 ft
~4.1 mi in
Elevation Range
154 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oak Hill, OH and Altoona, OH, road signs point toward Chillicothe and Jackson.
Chillicothe
11.9 mi in|~17m
Jackson
14.4 mi in|~21m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.9 miles on North Jackson Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Altoona, OH 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 (SR 93; SR 279 / Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles (SR 32; SR 124 / James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. 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 Altoona, OH before heading back.
