Origin
Cary, NC
Late night in Cary on Saturday
Local time
2:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cary, NC to Haw River, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
47.3 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cary, NC
C k
Haw River, NC
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Cary, NC to Haw River, NC covers 47.3 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dan K. Moore Frwy, North Harrison Avenue, Stone Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 39 miles on Dan K. Moore Frwy. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 47.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h drive with frequent turns across 47.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dan K. Moore Frwy is the longest continuous segment at about 39 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Chapel Hill Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chapel Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 1652 / North Harrison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Chapel Hill Road
Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 1652 / North Harrison Avenue
Turn right onto SR 1652 / North Harrison Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Merge onto I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
42.7 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward Trollingwood Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 152
Toward Trollingwood Road
6
43 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Trollingwood Hawfields Road
Turn right onto Trollingwood Hawfields Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan K. Moore Frwy | 39 mi | 44m |
| North Harrison Avenue | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Stone Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Trollingwood Hawfields Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Academy Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan K. Moore Frwy
— 39 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cary, NC and Haw River, NC.
1
Start on North Academy Street
24 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Academy Street
2
Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Chapel Hill Road
3
Turn right onto SR 1652
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Harrison Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
5
Merge onto I 40
39 mi
·
44 min
·
Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 152
Toward Trollingwood Road
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto Trollingwood Hawfields Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Trollingwood Hawfields Road
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto Stone Street
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Stone Street
9
Turn left
296 ft
·
22 sec
10
Turn right
98 ft
·
7 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.6 mi from Cary, NC · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Cary, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Haw River, NC
The final approach into Haw River, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.40 one way
$14.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.09 | $16.18 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.75 | $17.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.44 | $20.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.97 | $2.27 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.14 | $1.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.62 | $3.03 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Haw River, NC
Late night in Haw River on Saturday
Local time
2:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
2 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
1h 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 Cary, NC to Haw River, NC covers 47.3 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dan K. Moore Frwy, North Harrison Avenue, Stone Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.6 miles from Cary, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.40 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 is a straightforward 1h drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chapel Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 1652 / North Harrison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Cary, NC to Haw River, 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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