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Trip from Concord, NC to Sawmills, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 46m

Distance

70.6 mi

114 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 39m ★
6 AM
1h 47m
8 AM
2h 3m
10 AM
1h 52m
12 PM
1h 51m
3 PM
1h 53m
5 PM
2h 2m
8 PM
1h 42m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in North Carolina, United States

Concord, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Sawmills, NC, NC

Sawmills, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

The drive from Concord, NC to Sawmills, NC covers 70.6 miles and takes about 1h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on NC 16, US 321, Davidson Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17 miles on NC 16. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.04 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

35.3 miles from Concord, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 70.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from Concord, NC to Sawmills, NC covers 70.6 miles and takes about 1h 46m, 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 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NC 16 is the longest continuous segment at about 17 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cabarrus Avenue West.

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 70.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (NC 73 / Church Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (NC 73 / Davidson Highway): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Cabarrus Avenue West

Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | NC 73 / Church Street Northeast

Turn left onto NC 73 / Church Street Northeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
2.6 mi into trip | ~5m in | NC 73 / Davidson Highway

Turn right onto NC 73 / Davidson Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
47.3 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in | US 321 Business

At end of road, turn left onto US 321 Business

Navigation decision point

5
49.8 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in | NC 10

Turn sharp left onto NC 10

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NC 16 17 mi 22m
US 321 14.6 mi 20m
Davidson Highway 8.9 mi 13m
Sam Furr Road 8.9 mi 13m
NC 73 6.4 mi 10m
Smyre Farm Road 3.2 mi 4m
NC 10 2.9 mi 4m
North Main Street 1.9 mi 3m
Longest stretch: NC 16 — 17 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Concord, NC and Sawmills, NC.

1

Start on Spring Street Southwest

409 ft · 17 sec · Spring Street Southwest
2

Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Turn left onto NC 73

1.8 mi · 3 min · Church Street Northeast
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto NC 73

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Davidson Drive Northwest
5

Turn left onto US 29; US 601; NC 73

0.4 mi · 35 sec · Concord Parkway North
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6

Turn right onto NC 73

2.9 mi · 4 min · Davidson Highway
Use the right lane.
7

Continue on NC 73

6.1 mi · 8 min · Davidson Highway
Use the straight lane.
8

Continue on NC 73

8.9 mi · 13 min · Sam Furr Road
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on NC 73

6.0 mi · 9 min · NC 73
Use the right lane.
10

Continue on NC 73

0.4 mi · 50 sec · NC 73
11

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward NC 16 North: Newton
12

Merge onto NC 16

17 mi · 22 min · NC 16
13

Turn left onto Smyre Farm Road

3.2 mi · 4 min · Smyre Farm Road
14

At end of road, turn left onto US 321 Business

0.2 mi · 21 sec · US 321 Business
15

Turn right onto McKay Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · McKay Road
16

At end of road, turn right onto Sigmon Dairy Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Sigmon Dairy Road
17

Turn sharp left onto NC 10

2.9 mi · 4 min · NC 10
18

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward NC 10: Newton
19

Merge onto US 321

15 mi · 20 min · US 321
20

Turn left onto Pinewood Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Pinewood Road
21

At end of road, turn right onto US 321A

1.9 mi · 3 min · North Main Street
22

Arrive at destination

US 321A

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 35.3 miles from Concord, NC, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17 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 16 miles or 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 35.3 miles or 54m 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 30m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sawmills, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Concord, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Concord, NC

This is one driving day of about 70.6 miles and 1h 46m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Concord, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NC 16 for about 17 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 35.3 mi from Concord, NC · 54m into the drive

Downtown Cornelius, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cornelius, NC

35 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

Huntersville, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Sherrills Ford, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.3 miles from Concord, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Sawmills, NC

The final approach into Sawmills, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Waterbean Coffee

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Huntersville, North Carolina

Early in the drive, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour $1 to $10 mile 20.2

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+17044798888

Visit website

Top Coffee Stop

Press & Porter Coffee & Pourhouse

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Concord, North Carolina

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $1 to $10

Hours: 6:30 am–5 pm

Visit website

Mattie Ruth's Coffee House

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Concord, North Carolina

1.3 mi

The Holy Grind Coffee House of Concord

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Concord, North Carolina

1.8 mi

Waterbean Coffee

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour $1 to $10 mile 20.2

Huntersville, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+17044798888

Visit website

Press & Porter Coffee & Pourhouse

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $1 to $10

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 6:30 am–5 pm

Visit website

Mattie Ruth's Coffee House

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour $1 to $10

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

Visit website

The Holy Grind Coffee House of Concord

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour $1 to $10

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 6 am–8 pm

+17049604013

Visit website

Verb Coffee

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $1 to $10 mile 5

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–7 pm

+17049604163

Visit website

Taproot Coffee

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $1 to $10 mile 60.5

Hickory, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–4 pm

+18064078348

Visit website

French Express Coffee House

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour $1 to $10 mile 5

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Hours: 6 am–6 pm

+17049325282

Visit website

Editions - Coffee and Bookstore

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~11 min detour

4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour $1 to $10 mile 5

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+17049251406

Visit website

Coffee & Cream

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.6 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 5

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–8 pm

+19807778222

Visit website

Smithville Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 15.1

Cornelius, North Carolina

Hours: 7:30 am–8:30 pm

+17048926031

Visit website

North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 5

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Hours: 10 am–12 pm

+17049342320

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.04 one way

$22.08 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $12.07 $24.14
premium $4.70 $13.07 $26.13
diesel $5.61 $15.59 $31.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.2 0 $7.41 $3.39
Efficient EV 17.7 0 $6.18 $2.82
EV Truck/SUV 28.2 0 $9.88 $4.52

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Concord, NC

Late night in Concord on Saturday

Local time

4:30 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Partly Cloudy

0 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Sawmills, NC

Late night in Sawmills on Saturday

Local time

4:30 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

9 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 46m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Concord, NC to Sawmills, NC covers 70.6 miles and takes about 1h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are NC 16, US 321, Davidson Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 35.3 miles from Concord, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.04 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (NC 73 / Church Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (NC 73 / Davidson Highway): Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Concord, NC to Sawmills, 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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