How far is Fern Creek, KY from Paducah, KY?

The driving distance from Fern Creek, KY to Paducah, KY is about 213.8 miles (344.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 57m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 180.8 miles (291 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 55m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
213.81 mi
03h 57m
Flight
180.84 mi
291.03 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fern Creek.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
180.84 mi
Kilometers
291.03 km
Flight Time
00h 21m

Driving Distance

Road route
213.81 mi
Kilometers
344.1 km
Drive Time
03h 57m

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 03h 57m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Paducah
Fri, Apr 10, 5:07 PM CDT
Return by in Fern Creek
Fri, Apr 10, 10:04 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fern Creek
2026-04-10T14:09
Arrive Paducah
Fri, Apr 10, 6:07 PM EDT
Route Timing
03h 57m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
8:58 AM to 10:58 AM CDT

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

Leave by
9:04 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fern Creek
9:00 PM EDT
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
McHenry
KY

Settlement in Kentucky

From Fern Creek
106.8 mi
01h 58m
To Paducah
107 mi
01h 58m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Friday

Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, Apr 10 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 13 mph SW
Destination
81°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 10 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fern Creek and Paducah.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fern Creek and Paducah.

  1. 1

    Start on Fern Creek Road

    28 m · 9 sec · Fern Creek Road

  2. 2

    Continue on Fern Creek Road

    47 m · 7 sec · Fern Creek Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Jefferson Street

    987 ft · 49 sec · Jefferson Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Bardstown Road

    1 mi · 2 min · Bardstown Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 265, KY 841: Gene Snyder Freeway

    785 ft · 19 sec

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on I 265 West, KY 841 West

    1155 ft · 28 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Gene Snyder Freeway

    6.9 mi · 8 min · Gene Snyder Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65 South: Nashville

    1751 ft · 43 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    33.5 mi · 36 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 61 South: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on US 31W: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway West

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  14. 14

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    37.4 mi · 40 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West, I 69 South: Paducah

    16.2 mi · 18 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight right

    9.1 mi · 10 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward US 68: Paducah

    1898 ft · 46 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on US 68: Paducah

    40 m · 4 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right

    1.5 km · 1 min

  21. 21

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Kentucky Dam Road

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Kentucky Dam Road

  22. 22

    Continue on Clarks River Road

    2 mi · 3 min · Clarks River Road

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Wayne Sullivan Drive

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Wayne Sullivan Drive

  24. 24

    Continue on South 3rd Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South 3rd Street

  25. 25

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    1471 ft · 1 min · Washington Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Washington Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fern Creek and Paducah.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
26 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
4 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
136 mi · 64%
I 65 South
33.8 mi · 16%
I 24 West
25.3 mi · 12%
Gene Snyder Freeway
6.91 mi · 3%
Kentucky Dam Road
2.53 mi · 1%
Clarks River Road
1.97 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

98 mi · 01h 45m

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
03h 57m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+33 mi
180.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
McHenry
01h 58m from Fern Creek
Leave By
9:04 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Fern Creek and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Paducah.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fern Creek to Paducah?

The road trip is about 213.8 miles (344.1 km) and usually takes 03h 57m 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?

McHenry is a useful midpoint, sitting about 106.8 miles from Fern Creek and 107 miles from Paducah.

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

The direct path is about 180.8 miles (291 km), while the road route adds roughly 33 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:04 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $30.09 one way or $60.19 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 70.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Fern Creek and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Paducah.

Stop Ideas Near McHenry

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

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

BUS

Madisonville, KY

50 mi away
4765 Hanson Road
BUS

Evansville, IN

87 mi away
119 Northwest 6th Street
BUS

Clarksville, TN

102 mi away
11 Jefferson Street \r\n

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fern Creek and Paducah. Straight-line distance: 180.84 mi (291.03 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Fern Creek

City in Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America

Population18,409
Coordinates38.1597900, -85.5877400
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Paducah

#2 Paducah

City in McCracken County, Kentucky, United States

Population24,883
Coordinates37.0833900, -88.6000500
Altitude104
CountryUnited States
Start: Fern Creek (-85.58774, 38.15979)
End: Paducah (-88.60005, 37.08339)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 344 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 07m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 16m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 33m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 03m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 40m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.98 gal
30.19 L · about $30.09
Round trip
$60.19
15.96 gal · 60.38 L
Estimated CO2
70.9 kg one way
Round trip: 141.8 kg / 313 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $30.09 $60.19
Mid-grade $4.25 $33.94 $67.88
Premium $4.65 $37.14 $74.28
Diesel $5.30 $42.33 $84.65

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 Kentucky · Apr 10, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Fern Creek, KY and Paducah, KY. The current time in Fern Creek is 14:09:23, although it is 13:09:23 in Paducah.

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.