Origin
Cary, NC
Night in Cary on Thursday
Local time
11:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cary, NC to Orange County, NC
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
41m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cary, NC
C k
Orange County, NC
Michael Ken
Trip Overview
The drive from Cary, NC to Orange County, NC covers 32.2 miles and takes about 41m 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, Old NC 86 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.7 miles on Dan K. Moore Frwy. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 41m drive with frequent turns across 32.2 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 25.7 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 41m drive. You will face about 7 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 7 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
29.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward Hillsborough
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 261
Toward Hillsborough
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the ramp toward I 85 South, NC 86 North: Greensboro
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 85 South, NC 86 North: Greensboro
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 Cary, NC to Orange County, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Hillsborough along the way.
Hillsborough
29.5 mi in
|
~36m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan K. Moore Frwy | 25.7 mi | 29m |
| North Harrison Avenue | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Old NC 86 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| I 85 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| South Churton Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Academy Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan K. Moore Frwy
— 25.7 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cary, NC and Orange County, 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
26 mi
·
29 min
·
Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 261
Toward Hillsborough
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto Old NC 86
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Old NC 86
8
Continue on US 70 Business
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
South Churton Street
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 85 South, NC 86 North: Greensboro
10
Merge onto I 85; NC 86 Truck
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 85; NC 86 Truck
11
Arrive at destination
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.04 one way
$10.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.51 | $11.01 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.96 | $11.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Orange County, NC
Night in Orange County on Thursday
Local time
11:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°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
16 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
41m 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 Orange County, NC covers 32.2 miles and takes about 41m 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, Old NC 86. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.1 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 $5.04 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 41m drive. You will face about 7 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.
On the drive from Cary, NC to Orange County, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Hillsborough along the way.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Orange County, NC
Explore more options from Cary, NC or browse trips ending in Orange County, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.
Explore maps for Cary, NC or Orange County, NC on MapSof.net.