Origin
Buies Creek, NC
Afternoon in Buies Creek on Friday
Local time
2:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buies Creek, NC to Cary, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
34.5 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buies Creek, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
Buies Creek to Cary is 34.5 miles and takes about 53 minutes via Old Stage Road North and Lake Wheeler Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within North Carolina's Southeast region, offering a straightforward local drive. If you're looking for a quick transit between these two points without much fuss, this route will get you there efficiently. It's a practical option for a same-day trip, allowing plenty of time for whatever awaits you at your destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 34.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 34.5-mile journey, with only about 11% of the route on highways. You'll navigate through a series of local roads, including Old Stage Road North, which features your longest uninterrupted stretch at 14.9 miles. Lake Wheeler Road and the Dan K Moore Freeway will also be part of your navigation. The character of the drive involves frequent changes in direction rather than long, sweeping vistas, so staying attentive to your GPS will be key.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Old Stage Road North is the longest continuous segment at about 14.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 19.3 miles in near Ten Ten Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.5 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 19.3 miles (Ten Ten Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.8 miles (Lake Wheeler Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 32 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
19.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Ten Ten Road
At end of road, turn left onto Ten Ten Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
20.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Lake Wheeler Road
Turn right onto Lake Wheeler Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
32 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Cary
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NC 54: Cary
5
32.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Turn left onto NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
34.5 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
North Academy Street
Turn right onto North Academy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Stage Road North | 14.9 mi | 21m |
| Lake Wheeler Road | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Fanny Brown Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Ten Ten Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Tryon Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Stage Road North
— 14.9 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buies Creek, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on this road
115 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
98 ft
·
12 sec
3
Turn left onto Kivett Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Kivett Road
4
Turn left onto Leslie Campbell Avenue
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
Leslie Campbell Avenue
5
Turn left onto Old Stage Road North
15 mi
·
21 min
·
Old Stage Road North
6
Turn left onto Fanny Brown Road
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Fanny Brown Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto Ten Ten Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Ten Ten Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn right onto Lake Wheeler Road
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Lake Wheeler Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Tryon Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Tryon Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto Gorman Street
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Gorman Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
12
Merge onto I 40; US 64
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
13
Continue on I 40; US 64
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto NC 54
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto North Academy Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
17
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.2 mi from Buies Creek, NC · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.2 miles from Buies Creek, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cary, NC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Cary, NC if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.40 one way
$10.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.90 | $11.80 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.39 | $12.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.62 | $15.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.62 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Cary, NC
Afternoon in Cary on Friday
Local time
2:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
23 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
53m 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 Buies Creek, NC to Cary, NC covers 34.5 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Old Stage Road North, Lake Wheeler Road, Dan K Moore Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.2 miles from Buies Creek, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.40 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.5 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 19.3 miles (Ten Ten Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.8 miles (Lake Wheeler Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 32 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Buies Creek, NC to Cary, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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