WK Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Paducah, KY to Nicholasville, KY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 47m
Distance
256.7 mi
413 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$38
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 34m
★
6 AM
4h 48m
8 AM
5h 15m
10 AM
4h 57m
12 PM
4h 55m
3 PM
4h 59m
5 PM
5h 14m
8 PM
4h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paducah, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Nicholasville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Paducah, KY to Nicholasville, KY is 256.7 miles and takes about 4h 47m via Western Kentucky Parkway and Bluegrass Parkway, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Kentucky, traversing familiar Southeast region landscapes. With 90% of the drive on highways, expect a straightforward and efficient transit. Consider this a solid option for a single-day trip, as the estimated duration allows for a comfortable pace.
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
128.4 miles from Paducah, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 22m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky Parkway | 99.2 mi | 1h 46m |
| Bluegrass Parkway | 67.6 mi | 1h 12m |
| I 69 | 38.3 mi | 41m |
| I 24 | 24.6 mi | 26m |
| Keene Road | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Pinckard Pike | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Keene-Versailles Road | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Clarks River Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Western Kentucky Parkway
— 99.2 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-24
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,181 veh/hr typical · worst 1,565
Quietest
2 AM
~158 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 16 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 Paducah, KY and Nicholasville, KY.
1
Start on Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn right onto US 60 Business; I 24 Business
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South 4th Street
3
Continue on US 60 Business; I 24 Business
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Wayne Sullivan Drive
4
Turn left onto US 60; US 62
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Clarks River Road
5
Turn straight onto US 60; US 62
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Reidland Road
6
Turn straight onto US 62
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Kentucky Dam Road
7
Turn right onto US 68
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 68
8
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
9
Merge onto I 24
25 mi
·
26 min
·
I 24
10
Take the exit onto I 69
38 mi
·
41 min
·
I 69
Exit 42
Toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Western Kentucky Parkway
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
Exit 106A-B
Toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway
99 mi
·
1 hr 46 min
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
Exit 106B
Toward Elizabethtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 137B
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
Use the right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
15
Merge onto I 65
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 65
16
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 93
Toward Lexington, Bardstown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on Bluegrass Parkway
68 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
Bluegrass Parkway
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 68
Toward KY 33: Versailles
19
Turn straight onto KY 33
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Troy Pike
20
Turn left onto KY 169
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Pinckard Pike
21
Continue on KY 169
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Keene-Versailles Road
22
Continue on KY 169
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Pinchard Pike
23
Turn right onto KY 169; KY 1267
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Keene Road
24
Continue on KY 169
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Keene Road
25
Continue on KY 169
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 3rd Street
26
Turn left onto KY 169
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
West Oak Street
27
Turn right onto US 27 Business
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
North Main Street
28
Arrive at destination
US 27 Business
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 47m estimated drive time, leaving Paducah in the morning will allow you to reach Nicholasville well before evening. The route is mostly highway, so plan your fuel stops accordingly, keeping in mind the estimated $39 fuel cost. You'll have a long stretch of 99.2 miles on the Western Kentucky Parkway, so ensure you have adequate fuel before starting that segment. With only one recommended stop and a total duration under five hours, this route offers flexibility; you can depart later or take more spontaneous breaks if desired.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 128.4 miles from Paducah, KY, or about 2h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.2 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 56 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.4 miles or 2h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 52m
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 Paducah, KY 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 Paducah, KY
This is one driving day of about 256.7 miles and 4h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Paducah, KY.
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 Western Kentucky Parkway for about 99.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 128.4 miles from Paducah, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Western Kentucky Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Southern Pride Truck Stop
0.2 mi from route
Beaver Dam Rest Stop
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 33.9 and 173.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
33.9 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 69
Take the exit onto I 69 toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 42
Toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton
8
72.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
Western Kentucky Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto Western Kentucky Parkway toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 106A-B
Toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
8
171.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 8m in
Take the exit toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 137B
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
6
171.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
8
173.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 12m in
Take the exit toward Lexington, Bardstown
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 93
Toward Lexington, Bardstown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.91 one way
$75.82 round trip
$3.75/gal
25.4 MPG avg
90 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $41.85 | $83.70 |
| premium | $4.72 | $47.66 | $95.32 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $48.47 | $96.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 77 | 0 | $26.95 | $12.32 |
| Efficient EV | 64.2 | 0 | $22.46 | $10.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.7 | 1 | $35.94 | $16.43 |
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Paducah, KY
Late night in Paducah on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Clear
WSW 1 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:43AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Destination
Nicholasville, KY
Late night in Nicholasville on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 3 mph
4% chance
Live forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:43AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
64°F
Morgantown, KY
128 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 47m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 256.7
View on nps.gov
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
For over a century people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. His early life on Kentucky's frontier shaped...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 177
View on nps.gov
Mammoth Cave National Park
National Park
Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, e...
21 mi from route
~51 min detour
Free
near mile 141.6
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 90% of the 256.7 miles on major roads like the Western Kentucky Parkway and Bluegrass Parkway. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 99.2 miles without needing to exit the Western Kentucky Parkway. The transition to surface roads will occur later in the drive as you approach your destination.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.2 mi on Western Kentucky Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Western Kentucky Parkway and Bluegrass Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33.9 miles in near I 69.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 256.7 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 33.9 miles (I 69): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 72.2 miles (Western Kentucky Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 171.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
935 ft
340 ft
Total Climb
1,018 ft
Total Descent
424 ft
Highest Point
935 ft
~256.7 mi in
Elevation Range
595 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.
Between Paducah, KY and Nicholasville, KY, road signs point toward Princeton, Elizabethtown, Louisville, Lexington and Bardstown.
Princeton
33.9 mi in
|
~40m
|
via I 69
Elizabethtown
72.5 mi in
|
~1h 22m
|
via Western Kentucky Parkway
Louisville
171.4 mi in
|
~3h 8m
Lexington
173.7 mi in
|
~3h 12m
Bardstown
173.7 mi in
|
~3h 12m
About the Cities
Starting in Paducah, KY
Full guide →Founded 1821
Paducah is a small city on the Ohio River about midway between St. Louis, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee. The county seat of McCracken County and the largest city in the Jackson Purchase area of western Kentucky, Paducah has a booming riverfront restaurant trade and arts scene in part driven by the city's artist relocation program which offers interest-free housing loans and other subsidies for established artists willing to relocate. Paducah is the hometown of humorist Irvin Cobb and former Vice President Alben Barkley (who served under President Harry S. Truman). Fans of contemporary Christian music will know it as the hometown of Steven Curtis Chapman, one of that genre's most iconic artists.
Top landmarks
- • Lloyd Tilghman Memorial — sculpture
- • Masonic Temple — masonic temple in Paducah, Kentucky
- • Paducah Freight House — railway station in Paducah, the United States of America
Arriving in Nicholasville, KY
Full guide →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.
Top landmarks
- • Confederate Memorial in Nicholasville — sculpture
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 4h 47m. Total distance: 256.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.2 miles on Western Kentucky Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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 Nicholasville, KY 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 8 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 33.9 miles (I 69): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 72.2 miles (Western Kentucky Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 171.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park and Mammoth Cave National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Nicholasville, KY, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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