How far is Nicholasville, KY from Dawson Springs, 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
200.13 mi
03h 44m
Flight
177.9 mi
286.3 km direct

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

Flight Distance

177.9 mi
286.3 km · 00h 21m flight

Driving Distance

200.13 mi
322.08 km · 03h 44m 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 03h 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dawson Springs
Thu, Apr 9, 11:54 PM CDT
Return by in Nicholasville
Fri, Apr 10, 4:39 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Nicholasville
2026-04-09T21:09
Arrive Dawson Springs
Fri, Apr 10, 12:54 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
8:45 AM to 10:45 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
9:30 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Nicholasville
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
Clarkson
KY

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

From Nicholasville
99.9 mi
01h 52m
To Dawson Springs
100.2 mi
01h 52m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 9 10:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph SW
Destination
78°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 9 10:00 AM CDT
Wind
8 mph SSW

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 44m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.2 mi
177.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clarkson
01h 52m from Nicholasville
Leave By
9:30 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Nicholasville and Sunny near Dawson Springs.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 200.1 miles (322.1 km) and usually takes 03h 44m 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 99.9 miles from Nicholasville and 100.2 miles from Dawson Springs.

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

The direct path is about 177.9 miles (286.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 22.2 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 9:30 AM EDT.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Nicholasville and Dawson Springs.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on North Main Street

    641 ft · 20 sec · North Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Oak Street

    932 ft · 20 sec · West Oak Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North 3rd Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · North 3rd Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Keene Road

    5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Keene Road

    860 ft · 20 sec · Keene Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Pinchard Pike

    1974 ft · 40 sec · Pinchard Pike

  7. 7

    Continue on Keene-Versailles Road

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Keene-Versailles Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Pinckard Pike

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike

  9. 9

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Troy Pike

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Troy Pike

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight left

    1839 ft · 45 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway

    67.6 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  14. 14

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  15. 15

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  18. 18

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    12.7 mi · 14 min

  20. 20

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

    1827 ft · 51 sec

  21. 21

    Turn left onto Charleston Road

    1114 ft · 22 sec · Charleston Road

  22. 22

    Continue on Industrial Parkway

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Industrial Parkway

  23. 23

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

    1.5 km · 1 min · East Arcadia Avenue

  24. 24

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    6 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Nicholasville and Dawson Springs. Straight-line distance: 177.9 mi (286.3 km).

Nicholasville

#1 Nicholasville

City in Kentucky

Population30,888
Coordinates37.8806300, -84.5730000
Altitude286
CountryUnited States
Dawson Springs

#2 Dawson Springs

City in Kentucky, United States of America

Population2,629
Coordinates37.1672700, -87.6925100
Altitude128
CountryUnited States
Start: Nicholasville (-84.573, 37.88063)
End: Dawson Springs (-87.69251, 37.16727)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 322 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 40m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 00m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 00m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 20m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 51m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 29m

Gas Consumption

Fuel needed: 26.73 L (7.06 gal). Cost: $26.62

GasMidPremDiesel
$/gal$3.77$4.25$4.65$5.3
Total$26.62$30.03$32.86$37.45

Prices in Kentucky · Apr 09, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Nicholasville, KY and Dawson Springs, KY. The current time in Nicholasville is 21:09:44, although it is 20:09:44 in Dawson Springs.

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.