How far is Meads, KY from Dawson Springs, KY?

The driving distance from Meads, KY to Dawson Springs, KY is about 310.9 miles (500.4 km), with a travel time of about 05h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 285.3 miles (459.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 36m 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
310.91 mi
05h 48m
Flight
285.34 mi
459.21 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Meads.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
285.34 mi
Kilometers
459.21 km
Flight Time
00h 34m

Driving Distance

Road route
310.91 mi
Kilometers
500.36 km
Drive Time
05h 48m

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 05h 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dawson Springs
Sun, Apr 12, 2:27 PM CDT
Return by in Meads
Sun, Apr 12, 9:15 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Meads
2026-04-12T09:39
Arrive Dawson Springs
Sun, Apr 12, 3:27 PM EDT
Route Timing
05h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:48 AM to 12:48 PM CDT

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

Leave by
5:24 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Meads
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
Bloomfield
KY

City in Nelson County, Kentucky, USA

From Meads
155.2 mi
02h 54m
To Dawson Springs
155.7 mi
02h 54m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
87°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph S
Destination
84°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 2:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Meads and Dawson Springs.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Meads and Dawson Springs.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    17 m · 4 sec

  2. 2

    Continue on Midland Trail Road

    108 m · 17 sec · Midland Trail Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Marsh Hill Drive

    34 m · 6 sec · Marsh Hill Drive

  4. 4

    Turn right onto US Route 60

    1389 ft · 29 sec · US Route 60

  5. 5

    Continue on US Route 60

    2.3 mi · 4 min · US Route 60

  6. 6

    Turn right

    3.6 mi · 5 min

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight right

    2557 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    99.3 mi · 1 hr 47 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 64 West, I 75 North: Louisville, Cincinnati

    2.4 mi · 4 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 27, US 68: Paris, Lexington

    2152 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  12. 12

    Turn right onto West New Circle Road

    5.8 mi · 8 min · West New Circle Road

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1848 ft · 45 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Versailles Road

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  17. 17

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  20. 20

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  21. 21

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  24. 24

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  25. 25

    Merge slight left

    12.7 mi · 14 min

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 109: Dawson Springs, Providence

    1827 ft · 51 sec

  27. 27

    Turn left onto Charleston Road

    1114 ft · 22 sec · Charleston Road

  28. 28

    Continue on Industrial Parkway

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Industrial Parkway

  29. 29

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East Arcadia Avenue

    1.5 km · 1 min · East Arcadia Avenue

  30. 30

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    6 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Meads and Dawson Springs.

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
31 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
5 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
112 mi · 36%
US Route 60
102 mi · 33%
Bluegrass Parkway
72.7 mi · 23%
West New Circle Road
5.81 mi · 2%
Versailles Road
4.51 mi · 1%
I 64 West
2.43 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

US Route 60

Merge slight left

99.3 mi · 01h 47m

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
05h 48m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+25.6 mi
285.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bloomfield
02h 54m from Meads
Leave By
5:24 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Meads and Mostly Sunny near Dawson Springs.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Meads to Dawson Springs?

The road trip is about 310.9 miles (500.4 km) and usually takes 05h 48m 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?

Bloomfield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 155.2 miles from Meads and 155.7 miles from Dawson Springs.

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

The direct path is about 285.3 miles (459.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 25.6 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 5:24 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $44.80 one way or $89.60 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 105.6 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Meads and Mostly Sunny near Dawson Springs.

Stop Ideas Near Bloomfield

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

55 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Meads and Dawson Springs. Straight-line distance: 285.34 mi (459.21 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Meads

A census-designated place located in Meade County, Kentucky.

Population288,649
Coordinates38.4125800, -82.7090500
Altitude185
CountryUnited States
Dawson Springs

#2 Dawson Springs

City in Kentucky, United States of America

Population2,629
Coordinates37.1672700, -87.6925100
Altitude128
CountryUnited States
Start: Meads (-82.70905, 38.41258)
End: Dawson Springs (-87.69251, 37.16727)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 500 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 21m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 52m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.88 gal
44.98 L · about $44.80
Round trip
$89.60
23.76 gal · 89.96 L
Estimated CO2
105.6 kg one way
Round trip: 211.2 kg / 466 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $44.80 $89.60
Mid-grade $4.25 $50.53 $101.05
Premium $4.65 $55.29 $110.58
Diesel $5.30 $63.01 $126.02

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 12, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Meads, KY and Dawson Springs, KY. The current time in Meads is 09:39:01, although it is 08:39:01 in Dawson Springs.

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.