Origin
Charlotte, NC
Night in Charlotte on Friday
Local time
9:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
60.7 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Southmont, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
This 60.7-mile drive from Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC takes approximately 1 hour and 17 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's a straightforward journey within the Southeast region, staying entirely within North Carolina. You'll navigate primarily on Julius Chambers Highway and Linwood-Southmont Road, with a small portion on South Tryon Street. Expect a fuel cost of around $9 for this relatively short distance. The overall feel is that of a local drive, offering a glimpse into the communities along the way without extensive highway time.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m 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
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments rather than settling into a long, steady pace. With a highway share of only 1%, most of your time will be spent on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 45.4 miles on Julius Chambers Highway, offering a brief period of consistent travel before transitioning to more varied road conditions. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be more engaged with the immediate surroundings, navigating through towns and less-trafficked areas.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Julius Chambers Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 45.4 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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near West Sugar Creek 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 60.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 3.5 miles (West Sugar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles (I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
West Sugar Creek Road
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 85 North: Concord
Navigation decision point
Toward I 85 North: Concord
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway
Merge onto I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85 toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
8
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward NC 47 West, NC 47 East: Hargrave Road
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 88
Toward NC 47 West, NC 47 East: Hargrave Road
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 Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC, road signs begin pointing toward High Point along the way.
High Point
50.5 mi in
|
~1h 1m
|
via I 85
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Chambers Highway | 45.4 mi | 51m |
| Linwood-Southmont Road | 7.5 mi | 12m |
| South Tryon Street | 3.5 mi | 7m |
| West Sugar Creek Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I 85 | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| Old Linwood Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Hargrave Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Holloway Church Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Julius Chambers Highway
— 45.4 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlotte, NC and Southmont, NC.
1
Start on South Tryon Street
3.5 mi
·
7 min
·
South Tryon Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Sugar Creek Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 85 North: Concord
4
Merge onto I 85
45 mi
·
51 min
·
Julius Chambers Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
0.9 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 85
Toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 88
Toward NC 47 West, NC 47 East: Hargrave Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto NC 47
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Hargrave Road
8
Continue on NC 47
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Linwood Road
9
Continue on NC 47
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Linwood-Southmont Road
10
Keep slight left at fork onto Linwood-Southmont Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Linwood-Southmont Road
11
Turn left onto West Holloway Church Road
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Holloway Church Road
12
Turn left onto NC 8
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
NC 8
13
Arrive at destination
NC 8
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.3 mi from Charlotte, NC · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Charlotte, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Southmont, NC
The final approach into Southmont, 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
$9.49 one way
$18.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.38 | $20.76 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.23 | $22.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.40 | $26.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.50 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Southmont, NC
Night in Southmont on Friday
Local time
9:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°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 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 17m 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 Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC covers 60.7 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Julius Chambers Highway, Linwood-Southmont Road, South Tryon Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.3 miles from Charlotte, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.49 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 60.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 3.5 miles (West Sugar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles (I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC, road signs begin pointing toward High Point along the way.
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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