How far is Clay, KY from Nicholasville, KY?

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
218 mi
04h 12m
Flight
179.73 mi
289.25 km direct

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

Flight Distance

179.73 mi
289.25 km · 00h 21m flight

Driving Distance

218 mi
350.84 km · 04h 12m drive

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 04h 12m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Nicholasville
Fri, Apr 10, 3:18 AM EDT
Return by in Clay
Fri, Apr 10, 6:30 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Clay
2026-04-09T22:06
Arrive Nicholasville
Fri, Apr 10, 2:18 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 12m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:12 AM to 1:12 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:36 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Clay
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Clarkson
KY

Human settlement in Grayson County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Clay
108.9 mi
02h 06m
To Nicholasville
109.1 mi
02h 06m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 9 12:00 PM CDT
Wind
9 to 13 mph SSW
Destination
74°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 9 10:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph SW

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 12m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38.3 mi
179.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clarkson
02h 06m from Clay
Leave By
8:36 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Clay and Sunny near Nicholasville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Clay to Nicholasville?

The road trip is about 218 miles (350.8 km) and usually takes 04h 12m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Clarkson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 108.9 miles from Clay and 109.1 miles from Nicholasville.

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

The direct path is about 179.7 miles (289.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 38.3 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:36 AM CDT.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Clay and Nicholasville, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Clay and Sunny near Nicholasville.

Stop Ideas Near Clarkson

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Clarkson, 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 Clarkson.

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

93 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
BUS

Madisonville, KY

113 mi away
4765 Hanson Road

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Clay and Nicholasville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clay and Nicholasville.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    2989 ft · 51 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Continue on North Broadway

    5.1 mi · 8 min · North Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn straight

    2.7 mi · 4 min

  4. 4

    Turn right

    14.6 mi · 22 min

  5. 5

    Continue on Island Ford Road

    1 km · 1 min · Island Ford Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right

    1067 ft · 26 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    9.3 mi · 10 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 169 South: Hopkinsville

    1.1 km · 43 sec

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1750 ft · 42 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98.5 mi · 1 hr 46 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville

    1955 ft · 48 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville

    3052 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 1 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward Lexington, Bardstown

    3252 ft · 1 min

  15. 15

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    67.6 mi · 1 hr 12 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 33: Versailles

    1752 ft · 43 sec

  17. 17

    Turn straight onto Troy Pike

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Troy Pike

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Pinckard Pike

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike

  19. 19

    Continue on Keene-Versailles Road

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Keene-Versailles Road

  20. 20

    Continue on Pinchard Pike

    1974 ft · 41 sec · Pinchard Pike

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Keene Road

    860 ft · 21 sec · Keene Road

  22. 22

    Continue on Keene Road

    5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road

  23. 23

    Continue on North 3rd Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · North 3rd Street

  24. 24

    Turn left onto West Oak Street

    932 ft · 23 sec · West Oak Street

  25. 25

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    641 ft · 13 sec · North Main Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Clay and Nicholasville. Straight-line distance: 179.73 mi (289.25 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Clay

Human settlement in Webster County, Kentucky, United States of America

Population1,091
Coordinates37.4767100, -87.8200200
Altitude116
CountryUnited States
Nicholasville

#2 Nicholasville

City in Kentucky

Population30,888
Coordinates37.8806300, -84.5730000
Altitude286
CountryUnited States
Start: Clay (-87.82002, 37.47671)
End: Nicholasville (-84.573, 37.88063)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 351 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 15m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 43m

Gas Consumption

Fuel needed: 29.12 L (7.69 gal). Cost: $29

GasMidPremDiesel
$/gal$3.77$4.25$4.65$5.3
Total$29$32.71$35.79$40.79

Prices in Kentucky · Apr 09, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Clay, KY and Nicholasville, KY. The current time in Clay is 22:06:17, although it is 23:06:17 in Nicholasville.

Distance to Other Cities

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