How far is Big Stone Gap, VA from Portsmouth, VA?

The driving distance from Big Stone Gap, VA to Portsmouth, VA is about 465.8 miles (749.6 km), with a travel time of about 07h 12m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 356.5 miles (573.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 24m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
465.79 mi
07h 12m
Flight
356.46 mi
573.66 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Big Stone Gap.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
356.46 mi
Kilometers
573.66 km
Flight Time
00h 43m

Driving Distance

Road route
465.79 mi
Kilometers
749.61 km
Drive Time
07h 12m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 07h 12m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portsmouth
Mon, May 4, 8:59 PM EDT
Return by in Big Stone Gap
Tue, May 5, 4:11 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Big Stone Gap
2026-05-04T13:47
Arrive Portsmouth
Mon, May 4, 8:59 PM EDT
Route Timing
07h 12m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:12 PM to 2:42 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
9:36 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Big Stone Gap
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Buena Vista
VA

Independent city in Virginia, United States

From Big Stone Gap
232 mi
03h 36m
To Portsmouth
233.8 mi
03h 36m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
67°F
Monday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW
Destination
78°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 13 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Big Stone Gap and Portsmouth.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Big Stone Gap and Portsmouth.

  1. 1

    Start on 4th Avenue East

    1213 ft · 30 sec · 4th Avenue East

  2. 2

    Turn straight onto Powell Valley Road

    1335 ft · 33 sec · Powell Valley Road

  3. 3

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Powell Valley Road

    20 m · 1 sec · Powell Valley Road

  4. 4

    Exit the roundabout onto Powell Valley Road

    1740 ft · 50 sec · Powell Valley Road

  5. 5

    Turn left

    1497 ft · 36 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Orby Cantrell Highway

    8.3 mi · 11 min · Orby Cantrell Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right

    1131 ft · 28 sec

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Norton Coeburn Road

    7.9 mi · 11 min · Norton Coeburn Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Bull Run Road

    12.5 mi · 18 min · Bull Run Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Trail of the Lonesome Pine

    111 m · 7 sec · Trail of the Lonesome Pine

  11. 11

    Continue on US Highway 58 Alternate

    6.9 mi · 10 min · US Highway 58 Alternate

  12. 12

    Continue on Trail of the Lonesome Pine

    7.8 mi · 11 min · Trail of the Lonesome Pine

  13. 13

    Turn right

    12.2 mi · 18 min

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Russell Road Northwest

    1.5 km · 3 min · Russell Road Northwest

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Valley Street Northwest

    1323 ft · 49 sec · Valley Street Northwest

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Cummings Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · Cummings Street

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right

    1308 ft · 32 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left

    57.2 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    7.1 mi · 8 min

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North, US 11 North: Roanoke

    139.7 mi · 2 hr 34 min

  21. 21

    Continue straight

    1353 ft · 18 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on I 64 East: Richmond

    90 mi · 1 hr 38 min

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward I 295 North: Washington, Norfolk

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  24. 24

    Continue on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

    22.9 mi · 25 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward I 64 East: Norfolk, Virginia Beach

    1.3 mi · 3 min

  26. 26

    Merge slight left

    62.7 mi · 1 hr 10 min

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward I 664 South: Downtown Newport News, Suffolk, Chesapeake

    2600 ft · 37 sec

  28. 28

    Merge slight left onto Hampton Roads Beltway

    11.6 mi · 14 min · Hampton Roads Beltway

  29. 29

    Take the exit slight right toward VA 135 South: College Drive, Churchland

    1575 ft · 39 sec

  30. 30

    Continue on College Drive

    1.4 mi · 2 min · College Drive

  31. 31

    Take the ramp slight left toward VA 164 East: Downtown Portsmouth

    1797 ft · 34 sec

  32. 32

    Merge slight left onto Western Freeway

    5.8 mi · 8 min · Western Freeway

  33. 33

    Merge slight left onto Martin Luther King Freeway

    1.1 km · 46 sec · Martin Luther King Freeway

  34. 34

    Take the exit slight right toward VA 141 South: Downtown Portsmouth

    1461 ft · 36 sec

  35. 35

    Turn straight onto London Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 2 min · London Boulevard

  36. 36

    Turn right onto Effingham Street

    552 ft · 11 sec · Effingham Street

  37. 37

    Turn left onto High Street

    2679 ft · 1 min · High Street

  38. 38

    Continue on High Street

    61 m · 21 sec · High Street

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · High Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Big Stone Gap and Portsmouth.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
39 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
16
6 merges, 10 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 64 East
154 mi · 33%
I 81 North
140 mi · 30%
Cummings Street
65.4 mi · 14%
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
22.9 mi · 5%
Bull Run Road
12.5 mi · 3%
Hampton Roads Beltway
11.6 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 81 North

Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North, US 11 North: Roanoke

140 mi · 02h 34m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
07h 12m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+109.3 mi
356.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buena Vista
03h 36m from Big Stone Gap
Leave By
9:36 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Big Stone Gap and Sunny near Portsmouth.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Big Stone Gap to Portsmouth?

The road trip is about 465.8 miles (749.6 km) and usually takes 07h 12m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Buena Vista is a useful midpoint, sitting about 232 miles from Big Stone Gap and 233.8 miles from Portsmouth.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 356.5 miles (573.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 109.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $65.12 one way or $130.24 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 146.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Big Stone Gap and Sunny near Portsmouth.

Stop Ideas Near Buena Vista

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Buena Vista, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Buena Vista.

RAIL

Kemper Street station

40 mi away
825 Kemper St
RAIL

Clifton Forge

43 mi away
400 Ridgeway Street
RAIL

Staunton station

52 mi away
1 Middlebrook Avenue
BUS

Roanoke

72 mi away
710 Williamson Road NE

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Big Stone Gap and Portsmouth. Straight-line distance: 356.46 mi (573.66 km).

Big Stone Gap

#1 Big Stone Gap

Town of the United States

Population5,104
Coordinates36.8817600, -82.7471000
Altitude468
CountryUnited States
Portsmouth

#2 Portsmouth

The most populous city in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Population95,094
Coordinates36.8354300, -76.2982700
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: 4th Avenue East (-82.747099, 36.881757)
End: High Street (-76.29827, 36.835429)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 750 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 48m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.44 gal
62.22 L · about $65.12
Round trip
$130.24
32.88 gal · 124.44 L
Estimated CO2
146.1 kg one way
Round trip: 292.2 kg / 644 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $65.12 $130.24
Mid-grade $4.43 $72.81 $145.63
Premium $4.78 $78.55 $157.10
Diesel $5.62 $92.46 $184.92

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Virginia · May 04, 2026

There is no time difference between Big Stone Gap and Portsmouth. The current time is 13:47:04.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.