How far is Morehead, KY from Paducah, KY?

The driving distance from Morehead, KY to Paducah, KY is about 320.9 miles (516.5 km), with a travel time of about 04h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 292.7 miles (471.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 47m 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
320.96 mi
04h 53m
Flight
292.75 mi
471.13 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Morehead.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
292.75 mi
Kilometers
471.13 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
320.96 mi
Kilometers
516.54 km
Drive Time
04h 53m

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 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Paducah
Thu, Apr 23, 5:19 AM CDT
Return by in Morehead
Thu, Apr 23, 11:13 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Morehead
2026-04-23T01:25
Arrive Paducah
Thu, Apr 23, 6:19 AM EDT
Route Timing
04h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:54 AM to 11:54 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
7:12 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Morehead
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
Sonora
KY

City in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Morehead
159.6 mi
02h 26m
To Paducah
161.3 mi
02h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 to 6 mph SW
Destination
83°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Morehead and Paducah.

  1. 1

    Start on Bridge Street

    79 m · 15 sec · Bridge Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East Wilkinson Boulevard

    2770 ft · 57 sec · East Wilkinson Boulevard

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Flemingsburg Road

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Flemingsburg Road

  4. 4

    Take the exit left

    2016 ft · 49 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    55.1 mi · 59 min

  6. 6

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

    2.4 mi · 4 min

  7. 7

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

    2152 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West New Circle Road

    5.8 mi · 8 min · West New Circle Road

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1848 ft · 45 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Versailles Road

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  14. 14

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  15. 15

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  17. 17

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  18. 18

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  21. 21

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  22. 22

    Merge slight left

    37.4 mi · 40 min

  23. 23

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

    16.2 mi · 18 min

  24. 24

    Keep slight right

    9.1 mi · 10 min

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward US 68: Paducah

    1898 ft · 46 sec

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on US 68: Paducah

    40 m · 4 sec

  27. 27

    Turn right

    1.5 km · 1 min

  28. 28

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

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Kentucky Dam Road

  29. 29

    Continue on Clarks River Road

    2 mi · 3 min · Clarks River Road

  30. 30

    Turn right onto Wayne Sullivan Drive

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Wayne Sullivan Drive

  31. 31

    Continue on South 3rd Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South 3rd Street

  32. 32

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    1471 ft · 1 min · Washington Street

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Washington Street

Car Route Details

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

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
33 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
5 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
136 mi · 42%
Bluegrass Parkway
72.7 mi · 23%
Flemingsburg Road
58.4 mi · 18%
I 24 West
25.3 mi · 8%
West New Circle Road
5.81 mi · 2%
Versailles Road
4.51 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
04h 53m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+28.2 mi
292.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sonora
02h 26m from Morehead
Leave By
7:12 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Morehead and Mostly Sunny near Paducah.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Morehead to Paducah?

The road trip is about 320.9 miles (516.5 km) and usually takes 04h 53m 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?

Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 159.6 miles from Morehead and 161.3 miles from Paducah.

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

The direct path is about 292.7 miles (471.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 28.2 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 7:12 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $42.73 one way or $85.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 100.7 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Morehead and Mostly Sunny near Paducah.

Stop Ideas Near Sonora

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

82 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Morehead and Paducah. Straight-line distance: 292.75 mi (471.13 km).

Morehead

#1 Morehead

County seat in Kentucky

Population7,596
Coordinates38.1839700, -83.4326800
Altitude225
CountryUnited States
Paducah

#2 Paducah

City in McCracken County, Kentucky, United States

Population24,883
Coordinates37.0833900, -88.6000500
Altitude104
CountryUnited States
Start: Bridge Street (-83.432644, 38.183842)
End: Washington Street (-88.600033, 37.083363)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 517 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 01m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 20m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 35m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 00m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.33 gal
42.87 L · about $42.73
Round trip
$85.45
22.66 gal · 85.74 L
Estimated CO2
100.7 kg one way
Round trip: 201.4 kg / 444 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $42.73 $85.45
Mid-grade $4.25 $48.19 $96.37
Premium $4.65 $52.73 $105.46
Diesel $5.30 $60.09 $120.19

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 Morehead, KY and Paducah, KY. The current time in Morehead is 01:25:30, although it is 00:25:30 in Paducah.

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.