Origin
Cary, NC
Morning in Cary on Saturday
Local time
10:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cary, NC to Rockingham, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 52m
Distance
91.2 mi
147 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 44m
★
6 AM
1h 52m
8 AM
2h 9m
10 AM
1h 58m
12 PM
1h 56m
3 PM
1h 59m
5 PM
2h 8m
8 PM
1h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cary, NC
C k
Rockingham, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cary, NC to Rockingham, NC covers 91.2 miles and takes about 1h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 1, Jefferson Davis Highway, Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 43.5 miles on US 1. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.26 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.
Midpoint
45.6 miles from Cary, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 52m. Total distance: 91.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Cary, NC to Rockingham, NC covers 91.2 miles and takes about 1h 52m, 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 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 1 is the longest continuous segment at about 43.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Dry Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 52m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Dry Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.6 miles (US 1; US 64 / Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Dry Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Dry Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
3.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford
3
3.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 1; US 64 / Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 1; US 64 / Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
3
46.9 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
47.5 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
US 1
Merge onto US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 1 | 43.5 mi | 53m |
| Jefferson Davis Highway | 23 mi | 27m |
| Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway | 20.3 mi | 22m |
| Kildaire Farm Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Southeast Cary Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Academy Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Dry Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 1
— 43.5 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cary, NC and Rockingham, NC.
1
Start on North Academy Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Academy Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Dry Avenue
220 ft
·
5 sec
·
Dry Avenue
3
Continue on Kildaire Farm Road
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Kildaire Farm Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Southeast Cary Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Cary Parkway
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford
6
Merge onto US 1; US 64
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
7
Continue on US 1
23 mi
·
27 min
·
Jefferson Davis Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
9
Merge onto US 1
44 mi
·
53 min
·
US 1
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn straight onto US 1
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Washington Street
11
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
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 45.6 miles from Cary, NC, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.5 miles.
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 20 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.6 miles or 56m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rockingham, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cary, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cary, NC
This is one driving day of about 91.2 miles and 1h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Cary, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 1 for about 43.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 45.6 mi from Cary, NC · 56m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 45.6 miles from Cary, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Rockingham, NC
The final approach into Rockingham, 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
$14.26 one way
$28.52 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
32 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $15.59 | $31.19 |
| premium | $4.70 | $16.88 | $33.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.14 | $40.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.58 | $4.38 |
| Efficient EV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.98 | $3.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 36.5 | 0 | $12.77 | $5.84 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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
Rockingham, NC
Morning in Rockingham on Saturday
Local time
10:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Carthage, NC
46 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
6 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
1h 52m 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 Rockingham, NC covers 91.2 miles and takes about 1h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 1, Jefferson Davis Highway, Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 45.6 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 $14.26 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 52m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Dry Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.6 miles (US 1; US 64 / Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
The route from Cary, NC to Rockingham, 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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