Connecting Wheeling to Morgantown, this 78.6-mile journey across West Virginia is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 35 minutes behind the wheel. Because of its manageable length, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, eliminating any need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $13 for fuel to complete the drive. Navigating through the southeastern part of the state, you will rely primarily on I-79, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and the USS West Virginia Memorial Highway. Whether you are traveling for business or a quick getaway, the route offers a reliable connection between these two West Virginia hubs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.3 miles from Wheeling, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 79
39.2 mi
42m
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
24.3 mi
30m
USS West Virginia Memorial Highway
9.3 mi
10m
Monongahela Boulevard
2.5 mi
4m
Beechurst Avenue
0.9 mi
2m
Chaplin Hill Road
0.7 mi
1m
16th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
US 250
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 79
— 39.2 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wheeling, WV and Morgantown, WV.
1
Start on WV 2
32 ft·4 sec·Chapline Street
2
Turn right onto WV 2
0.3 mi·35 sec·16th Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·47 sec
4
Merge onto US 250
0.3 mi·19 sec·US 250
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·16 sec
6
Continue on this road
489 ft·11 sec·this road
7
Merge onto I 70
3.4 mi·4 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
8
Merge onto I 70
9.3 mi·10 min·USS West Virginia Memorial Highway
9
Continue on I 70
21 mi·25 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto I 79
39 mi·42 min·I 79
Exit 21Toward I 79 south: Waynesburg, MorgantownUse the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward West Virginia University
12
Turn left onto CR 19/24
0.7 mi·1 min·Chaplin Hill Road
13
Continue on US 19; WV 7
2.5 mi·4 min·Monongahela Boulevard
14
Continue on US 19; WV 7
0.9 mi·2 min·Beechurst Avenue
15
Turn left onto Fayette Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·Fayette Street
16
Turn right onto US 119
0.1 mi·20 sec·High Street
17
Arrive at destination
High Street
Trip Plan
Since the total drive time is under two hours, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own schedule. You will not need to worry about planning formal stops to break up the drive, as the duration is short enough to complete in one go. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you head out, as the $13 estimate for the trip assumes you are starting with a full tank. For the smoothest experience, check local traffic reports for I-79, particularly during peak travel hours, to ensure your arrival in Morgantown remains on schedule.
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 39.3 miles from Wheeling, WV, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.2 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 17 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.3 miles or 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 1h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Morgantown, WV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wheeling, WV so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Wheeling, WV
This is one driving day of about 78.6 miles and 1h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Wheeling, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 79 for about 39.2 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 74 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|WV 2 / 16th Street
Turn right onto WV 2 / 16th Street
Navigation decision point
3
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|US 250
Merge onto US 250
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
1 mi into trip|~1m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
8
34.8 mi into trip|~43m in|I 79
Take the exit onto I 79 toward I 79 south: Waynesburg, Morgantown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 21
Toward I 79 south: Waynesburg, Morgantown
4
74 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward West Virginia University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward West Virginia University
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.29 one way
$24.58 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$13.44
$26.88
premium
$4.70
$14.55
$29.09
diesel
$5.61
$17.35
$34.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.6
0
$8.25
$3.77
Efficient EV
19.7
0
$6.88
$3.14
EV Truck/SUV
31.4
0
$11.00
$5.03
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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
Wheeling, WV
Morning
in Wheeling on Tuesday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Partly Cloudy
NE 2 to 6 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Morgantown, WV
Morning
in Morgantown on Tuesday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Mostly Clear
NE 2 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
1 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 35m 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 mixed driving experience as you navigate this 78.6-mile corridor. About 50% of your time will be spent on the interstate, providing a consistent pace for a significant portion of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 39.2-mile segment on I-79, which allows for steady cruising. As you move along these highways, the road transitions between high-speed interstate travel and more localized segments. This combination creates a varied driving profile that keeps the journey from feeling like a monotonous highway grind.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.2 mi on I 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 WV 2 / 16th Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 78.6 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 (WV 2 / 16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 250): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,370 ft663 ft
Total Climb
1,706 ft
Total Descent
1,483 ft
Highest Point
1,370 ft
~59 mi in
Elevation Range
707 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 Wheeling, WV to Morgantown, WV, road signs begin pointing toward Virginia University along the way.
Wheeling, also known as the "Friendly City" or the "Nail City", is a city of 26,000 people (as of 2019) in West Virginia. Wheeling is known for having more Victorian architecture than any other city in the United States.
Morgantown is the third largest city in West Virginia, and is the county seat of Monongalia County. It is home to West Virginia University, the state's flagship public university and university with the largest student body in the state. The city has 30,347 residents (2020). As the largest city in the northern half of West Virginia, and sitting at the junction of I-79 and I-68, Morgantown serves as a major regional cultural center and hub for business, medicine, shopping and dining.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 35m. Total distance: 78.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.2 miles on I 79. 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: near the start (WV 2 / 16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 250): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Morgantown, WV before heading back.
