Origin
Buford, GA
Afternoon in Buford on Thursday
Local time
3:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buford, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
24m
Distance
15.4 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buford, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buford, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA covers 15.4 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, Lanier Parkway, Duluth Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5 miles on I 85. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 15.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Buford, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA covers 15.4 miles and takes about 24m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 15.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 985 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 985 South
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward GA 120: Duluth, Lawrenceville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 107
Toward GA 120: Duluth, Lawrenceville
9
12.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GA 120 East: Duluth, Lawrenceville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 107
Toward GA 120 East: Duluth, Lawrenceville
5
12.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
GA 120 / Duluth Highway
Turn right onto GA 120 / Duluth Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Buford, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Lawrenceville along the way.
Lawrenceville
11.7 mi in
|
~15m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 5 mi | 5m |
| Lanier Parkway | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| Duluth Highway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| South Lee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Harris Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Buford Highway Northeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Meadow Lark Drive Northwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Buford Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 5 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buford, GA and Cardinal Lake Estates, GA.
1
Start on this road
26 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Harris Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harris Street
3
Turn left onto Garnett Street
408 ft
·
13 sec
·
Garnett Street
4
Turn right onto GA 13
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Buford Highway Northeast
5
Turn left onto South Lee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lee Street
6
Turn left onto US 23; GA 20
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Buford Drive
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 985 South
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 985
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Lanier Parkway
9
Merge onto I 85
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 107
Toward GA 120: Duluth, Lawrenceville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 107
Toward GA 120 East: Duluth, Lawrenceville
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Turn right onto GA 120
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Duluth Highway
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Meadow Lark Drive Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Meadow Lark Drive Northwest
14
At end of road, turn right onto Robin Lane Northwest
525 ft
·
24 sec
·
Robin Lane Northwest
15
Turn right onto Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
16
Arrive at destination
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.41 one way
$4.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.63 | $5.27 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.85 | $5.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.40 | $6.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Afternoon in Cardinal Lake Estates on Thursday
Local time
3:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
41 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
24m 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 Buford, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA covers 15.4 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, Lanier Parkway, Duluth Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.7 miles from Buford, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.41 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 15.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Buford, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Lawrenceville along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
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