Trip from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC

Drive Time

1h 31m

Distance

67.8 mi

109 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 25m ★
6 AM
1h 32m
8 AM
1h 46m
10 AM
1h 37m
12 PM
1h 35m
3 PM
1h 38m
5 PM
1h 45m
8 PM
1h 28m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Franklin, NC, NC

Franklin, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

The drive from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC covers 67.8 miles and takes about 1h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Marcellus Street, Merrimon Avenue, Billy Graham Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.85 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

33.9 miles from Asheville, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 31m drive with frequent turns across 67.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Marcellus Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC is easy. At 1h 31m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Marcellus Street Unavailable Refreshing
Merrimon Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
Billy Graham Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
I 40 West Unavailable Refreshing
US 74 West Unavailable Refreshing
Great Smoky Mountains Expressway Unavailable Refreshing
US 23 South Unavailable Refreshing
East Main Street Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Marcellus Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Asheville, NC and Franklin, NC.

1

Start on the route

46 ft · 9 sec · the route
2

Turn left onto Marcellus Street

131 ft · 8 sec · Marcellus Street
3

Turn right onto Merrimon Avenue

105 ft · 5 sec · Merrimon Avenue
4

Turn straight

305 ft · 11 sec
5

Continue straight

0.2 mi · 26 sec
6

Merge slight left onto Billy Graham Freeway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Billy Graham Freeway
7

Keep slight right to continue on Billy Graham Freeway

3.2 mi · 4 min · Billy Graham Freeway
8

Take the exit slight right toward I 40 West, US 74: Canton, Knoxville

0.3 mi · 26 sec · I 40 West, US 74: Canton, Knoxville
9

Merge slight left

18 mi · 22 min
10

Take the exit slight right toward US 74 West: Clyde, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Franklin, Murphy, Atlanta

22 mi · 29 min · US 74 West: Clyde, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Franklin, Murphy, Atlanta
11

Keep slight left to continue on Great Smoky Mountains Expressway

4.4 mi · 5 min · Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
12

Take the exit slight right toward US 23 South, US 441 South: Dillsboro, Franklin, Atlanta

0.4 mi · 45 sec · US 23 South, US 441 South: Dillsboro, Franklin, Atlanta
13

Continue straight

17 mi · 22 min
14

Turn right onto East Main Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Main Street
15

Continue on Northeast Main Street

0.4 mi · 58 sec · Northeast Main Street
16

Continue on East Main Street

0.2 mi · 59 sec · East Main Street
17

Turn right onto Iotla Street

180 ft · 8 sec · Iotla Street
18

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 33.9 miles from Asheville, NC, or about 45m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 67.8 miles or 1h 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 33.9 miles or 45m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 18m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Franklin, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Asheville, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Asheville, NC

This is one driving day of about 67.8 miles and 1h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Asheville, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 33.9 mi from Asheville, NC · 45m into the drive

Downtown Bent Creek, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bent Creek, NC

34 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Bent Creek, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 67.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bent Creek, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Asheville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Franklin, NC

The final approach into Franklin, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Franklin, NC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.85 one way

$21.70 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $11.82 $23.64
premium $4.78 $12.75 $25.51
diesel $5.64 $15.06 $30.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.3 0 $7.12 $3.25
Efficient EV 17 0 $5.93 $2.71
EV Truck/SUV 27.1 0 $9.49 $4.34

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 22 hours ago

Origin

Asheville, NC

Afternoon in Asheville on Monday

Local time

2:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Franklin, NC

Afternoon in Franklin on Monday

Local time

2:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

56°F

Bent Creek, NC

34 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 31m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC covers 67.8 miles and takes about 1h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Marcellus Street, Merrimon Avenue, Billy Graham Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.9 miles from Asheville, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC is easy. At 1h 31m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Asheville, NC to Franklin, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Franklin, NC to Asheville, NC

Plan the drive back the other way.

67.7 mi 1h 31m

Explore more options from Asheville, NC or browse trips ending in Franklin, NC.

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