Traveling from Parkersburg to Bethlehem, WV, covers 81.9 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 42 minutes behind the wheel. Because this journey is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight lodging. You can expect to spend approximately $13 on fuel for the entire excursion. Both your starting point and destination are located within the Southeast region of West Virginia, keeping your travel environment consistent. This route is a straightforward local drive that favors smaller roads over major interstates, making it a practical choice for those who prefer avoiding heavy highway traffic.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.9 miles from Parkersburg, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Corridor D
70.4 mi
1h 21m
Shinnston Pike
7.2 mi
10m
South Pike Street
1.7 mi
2m
East Avenue
1 mi
2m
5th Street
0.5 mi
1m
6th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
CR 12
0.2 mi
<1m
Juliana Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Corridor D
— 70.4 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parkersburg, WV and Bethlehem, WV.
1
Start on WV 68; WV 618
449 ft·21 sec·Juliana Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn right onto 6th Street
0.2 mi·50 sec·6th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Green Street
363 ft·19 sec·Green Street
4
Turn left onto WV 14
0.5 mi·1 min·5th Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
6
Merge onto US 50
70 mi·1 hr 21 min·Corridor D
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward West Pike Street
8
Turn left onto US 19; WV 20
215 ft·11 sec·West Pike Street
9
Continue on US 19; WV 20
1.9 mi·2 min·Shinnston Pike
10
Continue on US 19; WV 20
5.3 mi·7 min·Shinnston Pike
11
Turn slight right onto US 19
1.7 mi·2 min·South Pike Street
12
Turn right onto Bridge Street
293 ft·10 sec·Bridge Street
13
Turn left onto CR 1/2
1.0 mi·2 min·East Avenue
14
At end of road, turn right onto CR 12
0.2 mi·45 sec·CR 12
15
Arrive at destination
CR 12
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable 1 hour and 42 minute drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You can easily complete the trip without needing any scheduled stops, though you should factor in your personal comfort level given the technical nature of the turn-heavy roads. Budgeting $13 for fuel should be sufficient for the 81.9-mile transit, but it is always wise to ensure your tank is topped off before leaving Parkersburg. Because the route does not utilize major highways, pay close attention to signage when transitioning between Corridor D and the local pikes. Keeping a steady pace will make the 70.4-mile stretch on Corridor D feel much smoother as you navigate toward Bethlehem.
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 40.9 miles from Parkersburg, WV, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.4 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.9 miles or 49m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bethlehem, WV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Parkersburg, WV so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Parkersburg, WV
This is one driving day of about 81.9 miles and 1h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Parkersburg, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Corridor D for about 70.4 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 0.1 and 80.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|6th Street
Turn right onto 6th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Green Street
At end of road, turn right onto Green Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|WV 14 / 5th Street
Turn left onto WV 14 / 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
71.5 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward West Pike Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward West Pike Street
4
80.6 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|Bridge Street
Turn right onto Bridge Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.81 one way
$25.61 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$14.00
$28.01
premium
$4.70
$15.16
$30.32
diesel
$5.61
$18.08
$36.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.6
0
$8.60
$3.93
Efficient EV
20.5
0
$7.17
$3.28
EV Truck/SUV
32.8
0
$11.47
$5.24
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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 11, 2026
Origin
Parkersburg, WV
Late night
in Parkersburg on Sunday
Local time
4:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Partly Cloudy
NE 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Bethlehem, WV
Late night
in Bethlehem on Sunday
Local time
4:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Salem, WV
41 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
15 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 42m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route contains zero percentage of high-speed highway travel. You will navigate via Corridor D, Shinnston Pike, and South Pike Street to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 70.4-mile segment on Corridor D, which serves as the primary backbone of your trip. Because the path relies on local roads, you should prepare for a more engaged driving experience that requires your full attention compared to a standard freeway commute. The road changes rhythm as you transition between these specific thoroughfares, so stay alert for shifting speed limits and turns.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.4 mi on Corridor D.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 6th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 42m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Green Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (WV 14 / 5th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Parkersburg is a city of 30,000 people (as of 2018) in West Virginia. It was known as "Newport" when it was founded, later to be renamed Parkersburg in 1810. The city sits where the Little Kanawha River meets the Ohio river; the town of Belpre lies just across the river in Ohio. Among Parkersburg's more famous residents is Morgan Spurlock, director of the 2004 film Super Size Me; the city's film connections continued with the 2006 film Bubble, which was filmed in the area and starred local residents. The area also has a long history with oil drilling, and is the home of the first documented commercial use of oil in the US.
The longest stretch is about 70.4 miles on Corridor D. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Green Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (WV 14 / 5th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bethlehem, WV before heading back.
