If you are planning a trip from Parkersburg to Buffalo, West Virginia, expect a straightforward journey covering 65.9 miles. You should budget about 1 hour and 32 minutes of driving time, making this an ideal candidate for a one-day trip. With a fuel cost estimate of $11, it is an affordable excursion that does not require an overnight stay. The path keeps you entirely within the Southeast region, moving between two points in the same state. Because this is a compact drive, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time around your own schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
32.9 miles from Parkersburg, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 77
26.8 mi
28m
WV 2
15.7 mi
19m
Leon Baden Road
6.1 mi
10m
WV 62
3.6 mi
6m
Charleston Road
3.2 mi
5m
State Route 87
2.5 mi
4m
West Virginia Route 95
1.9 mi
3m
Camden Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 77
— 26.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parkersburg, WV and Buffalo, 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
0.7 mi·1 min·5th Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto WV 95
0.8 mi·1 min·Camden Avenue
6
Continue on WV 95
1.9 mi·3 min·West Virginia Route 95
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 77, WV 2: Charleston
8
Merge onto I 77; WV 2
27 mi·28 min·I 77; WV 2
9
Take the exit onto WV 2
16 mi·19 min·WV 2
Toward US 33 West, WV 2 South: Silverton, Ravenswood
10
Turn straight onto WV 87
2.5 mi·4 min·State Route 87
11
Turn slight right onto CR 23
0.7 mi·2 min·Baur Road
12
Turn right onto CR 23
6.1 mi·10 min·Leon Baden Road
13
At end of road, turn left onto WV 62
3.6 mi·6 min·WV 62
14
Continue on Charleston Road
3.2 mi·5 min·Charleston Road
15
Continue on this road
2.3 mi·3 min·this road
16
Continue on WV 62
0.2 mi·16 sec·Lafayette Street
17
Continue on WV 62
0.4 mi·42 sec·Buffalo Road
18
Continue on WV 62
0.4 mi·47 sec·Lafayette Street
19
Turn sharp right onto River Street
34 ft·1 sec·River Street
20
Arrive at destination
River Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the advantage of being able to depart whenever works best for your itinerary. Because the entire route takes less than two hours, you likely will not need to plan for formal rest stops, though it is always smart to ensure your tank is topped off before leaving Parkersburg. Given the $11 fuel estimate, keep a little extra cash or your card handy just in case of price fluctuations. Keep a close eye on your GPS as you transition from the primary highway corridors onto Leon Baden Road to ensure you do not miss your exit. This route’s simplicity makes it a low-stress drive, so feel free to use that saved time to explore your destination upon arrival.
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 32.9 miles from Parkersburg, WV, or about 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 26.8 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 14 miles or 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 32.9 miles or 39m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buffalo, 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 65.9 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Parkersburg, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 77 for about 26.8 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 65.8 — 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.
5
30.8 mi into trip|~36m in|WV 2
Take the exit onto WV 2 toward US 33 West, WV 2 South: Silverton, Ravenswood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 33 West, WV 2 South: Silverton, Raven...
5
65.8 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|River Street
Turn sharp right onto River Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.31 one way
$20.61 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$11.27
$22.54
premium
$4.70
$12.20
$24.39
diesel
$5.61
$14.55
$29.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.8
0
$6.92
$3.16
Efficient EV
16.5
0
$5.77
$2.64
EV Truck/SUV
26.4
0
$9.23
$4.22
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Parkersburg, WV
Morning
in Parkersburg on Sunday
Local time
10:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Buffalo, WV
Morning
in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
10:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
1 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
1h 32m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 77% of the route spent on major roads like I-77 and WV-2. You will spend a significant portion of your time on the interstate, including a 26.8-mile stretch that serves as the longest uninterrupted segment of the trip. Transitioning from the interstate onto Leon Baden Road shifts the pace, moving you from high-speed highway travel to a more localized driving experience. Expect a consistent, efficient commute that prioritizes speed and directness over winding backroads or technical terrain.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.8 mi on I 77.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 77 and WV 2. 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 32m 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
915 ft565 ft
Total Climb
560 ft
Total Descent
602 ft
Highest Point
915 ft
~49.4 mi in
Elevation Range
350 ft
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 Parkersburg, WV to Buffalo, WV, road signs begin pointing toward Ravenswood along the way.
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 26.8 miles on I 77. 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 Buffalo, WV before heading back.
