Parkersburg, WV to Petersburg, WV is 172.7 miles and takes about 3h 59m via Corridor D and George Washington Highway, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within West Virginia, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. The route primarily uses surface roads after a short stretch of highway, offering a more local driving experience. It's a straightforward drive if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86.4 miles from Parkersburg, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Corridor D
80.4 mi
1h 36m
Geroge Washington Highway
30.4 mi
46m
WV 42
25.4 mi
40m
Pike Street
24.9 mi
37m
George Washington Highway
9.7 mi
14m
WV 28
0.8 mi
1m
5th Street
0.5 mi
1m
6th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Corridor D
— 80.4 mi, about 1h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parkersburg, WV and Petersburg, 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
80 mi·1 hr 36 min·Corridor D
7
Continue on US 50
9.7 mi·14 min·George Washington Highway
8
Continue on US 50
25 mi·37 min·Pike Street
9
Continue on US 50
30 mi·46 min·Geroge Washington Highway
10
Turn right onto WV 42
25 mi·40 min·WV 42
11
Turn slight left onto WV 28; WV 55
0.8 mi·1 min·WV 28; WV 55
12
Turn left onto US 220; WV 28; WV 55
70 ft·1 sec·Virginia Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
US 220; WV 28; WV 55
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 59m estimated drive time, starting your trip in Parkersburg, WV, earlier in the day is advisable to maximize daylight. There's one stop suggested along this 172.7-mile route, so plan for a brief break, perhaps around the halfway point or where Corridor D ends. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $27, but it's always good to top off before leaving Parkersburg, especially as you'll be on surface roads for much of the drive to Petersburg, WV. This is a manageable one-day trip, so you have flexibility if you want to linger at your starting point or arrive in Petersburg a little later.
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 86.4 miles from Parkersburg, WV, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.4 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 38 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.4 miles or 1h 47m 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 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Petersburg, 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.
+
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 Parkersburg, WV
This is one driving day of about 172.7 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Parkersburg, WV.
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 Corridor D for about 80.4 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 172.7 — 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|WV 68; WV 618 / Juliana Street
Depart onto WV 68; WV 618 / Juliana Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
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
172.7 mi into trip|~3h 59m in|US 220; WV 28; WV 55 / Virginia Avenue
Turn left onto US 220; WV 28; WV 55 / Virginia Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.47 one way
$54.94 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$29.95
$59.90
premium
$4.78
$32.49
$64.99
diesel
$5.35
$36.38
$72.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.8
0
$18.13
$8.29
Efficient EV
43.2
0
$15.11
$6.91
EV Truck/SUV
69.1
0
$24.18
$11.05
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Parkersburg, WV
Evening
in Parkersburg on Wednesday
Local time
5:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
NE 0 to 8 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Petersburg, WV
Evening
in Petersburg on Wednesday
Local time
5:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 1 to 5 mph2% chanceLive 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
3 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
3h 59m 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?
This drive is mostly on surface roads, with only about 15% of the total 172.7 miles on highways. You'll encounter the longest stretch of highway, 80.4 miles on Corridor D, before transitioning to George Washington Highway and WV 42. Expect a significant amount of rural cruising once you leave the limited-access highway. The change from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you encounter more local traffic and intersections.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.4 mi on Corridor D.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WV 68; WV 618 / Juliana Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Parkersburg, WV to Petersburg, WV is easy. At 3h 59m with 15% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WV 68; WV 618 / Juliana Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Green Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,940 ft613 ft
Total Climb
2,562 ft
Total Descent
2,241 ft
Highest Point
2,940 ft
~148 mi in
Elevation Range
2,327 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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.
Top landmarks
•Blennerhassett Hotel — hotel in Parkersburg, United States of America
•St. Francis Xavier Church — church building in West Virginia, United States of America
•Julia-Ann Square Historic District — historic district in Parkersburg, West Virginia, United States
The longest stretch is about 80.4 miles on Corridor D. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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: near the start (WV 68; WV 618 / Juliana Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Green Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Petersburg, WV, but most travelers stay overnight.
