How far is Lexington-Fayette, KY from Cave City, KY?

The driving distance from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Cave City, KY is about 127.9 miles (205.9 km), with a travel time of about 02h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 103.5 miles (166.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 53m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
127.97 mi
02h 26m
Flight
103.48 mi
166.54 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lexington-Fayette.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
103.48 mi
Kilometers
166.54 km
Flight Time
00h 12m

Driving Distance

Road route
127.97 mi
Kilometers
205.95 km
Drive Time
02h 26m

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 02h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cave City
Thu, Apr 23, 5:07 AM CDT
Return by in Lexington-Fayette
Thu, Apr 23, 8:33 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lexington-Fayette
2026-04-23T03:40
Arrive Cave City
Thu, Apr 23, 6:07 AM EDT
Route Timing
02h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:27 AM to 11:27 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:36 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lexington-Fayette
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Bardstown
KY

City in Kentucky

From Lexington-Fayette
63.9 mi
01h 13m
To Cave City
64 mi
01h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph SW
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lexington-Fayette and Cave City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington-Fayette and Cave City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    560 ft · 43 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Floyd Drive

    937 ft · 25 sec · Floyd Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East New Circle Road

    7.2 mi · 11 min · East New Circle Road

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1848 ft · 45 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Versailles Road

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    40.2 mi · 43 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 70, KY 90: Cave City, Glasgow

    2073 ft · 56 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Mammoth Cave Road

    1292 ft · 32 sec · Mammoth Cave Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Mammoth Cave Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Mammoth Cave Street

  14. 14

    Continue on Broadway Street

    1142 ft · 23 sec · Broadway Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Broadway Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lexington-Fayette and Cave City.

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
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bluegrass Parkway
112 mi · 87%
East New Circle Road
7.23 mi · 6%
Versailles Road
4.51 mi · 4%
Lexington Road
1.33 mi · 1%
Mammoth Cave Street
1.11 mi · 1%
Elizabethtown
0.66 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Bluegrass Parkway

Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

70.6 mi · 01h 16m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 26m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+24.4 mi
103.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bardstown
01h 13m from Lexington-Fayette
Leave By
1:36 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Lexington-Fayette and Sunny near Cave City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lexington-Fayette to Cave City?

The road trip is about 127.9 miles (205.9 km) and usually takes 02h 26m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Bardstown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 63.9 miles from Lexington-Fayette and 64 miles from Cave City.

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

The direct path is about 103.5 miles (166.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 24.4 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:36 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $17.01 one way or $34.01 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 40.1 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Lexington-Fayette and Cave City, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Lexington-Fayette and Sunny near Cave City.

Stop Ideas Near Bardstown

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

56 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lexington-Fayette and Cave City. Straight-line distance: 103.48 mi (166.54 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Lexington-Fayette

The most populous city in Kentucky and the center of the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area.

Population314,488
Coordinates38.0498000, -84.4585500
Altitude305
CountryUnited States
Cave City

#2 Cave City

City in Kentucky

Population2,426
Coordinates37.1367200, -85.9569200
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: Lexington-Fayette (-84.45855, 38.0498)
End: Cave City (-85.95692, 37.13672)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 206 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 15m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 11m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 49m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 35m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.51 gal
17.09 L · about $17.01
Round trip
$34.01
9.02 gal · 34.18 L
Estimated CO2
40.1 kg one way
Round trip: 80.2 kg / 177 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $17.01 $34.01
Mid-grade $4.25 $19.18 $38.36
Premium $4.65 $20.99 $41.98
Diesel $5.30 $23.92 $47.84

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 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Lexington-Fayette, KY and Cave City, KY. The current time in Lexington-Fayette is 03:40:45, although it is 02:40:45 in Cave City.

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.