The drive from Five Forks, SC to Hilton Head, SC covers 241.7 miles and takes about 4h 41m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 26, I 95, SC 14 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 116 miles on I 26.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.80 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
120.9 miles from Five Forks, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 20m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 41m. Total distance: 241.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 41m highway drive covering 241.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 26 and I 95. The longest continuous stretch is about 116 miles on I 26.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 26 is the longest continuous segment at about 116 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and I 95. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Scuffletown Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 241.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 (Scuffletown Road): Navigation decision point; at 33.4 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 89.2 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Scuffletown Road
At end of road, turn right onto Scuffletown Road
Navigation decision point
5
33.4 mi into trip|~43m in|I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
89.2 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|I 26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26 toward Charleston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Charleston
5
149.4 mi into trip|~2h 51m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Savannah
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 169A
Toward I 95 South: Savannah
5
150.3 mi into trip|~2h 53m in|I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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 Five Forks, SC to Hilton Head, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Charleston along the way.
Charleston
89.2 mi in|~1h 45m|via I 26
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 26
116 mi
2h 7m
I 95
56.6 mi
1h
SC 14
21.2 mi
22m
Coosaw Scenic Drive
9.6 mi
13m
Fording Island Road
9.3 mi
12m
Lowcountry Drive
7.9 mi
10m
Scuffletown Road
7 mi
12m
Okatie Highway
4.2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 116 mi, about 2h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Five Forks, SC and Hilton Head, SC.
1
Start on this road
264 ft·22 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Scuffletown Road
7.0 mi·12 min·Scuffletown Road
3
Turn right onto SC 418
2.0 mi·3 min·State Highway 418
4
Continue on Gulliver Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Gulliver Street
5
Continue on SC 418
0.4 mi·37 sec·Knight Street
6
Turn left onto SC 14
1.1 mi·2 min·South Main Street
7
Continue on SC 14
0.9 mi·1 min·Laurens Road
8
Take the ramp onto SC 14
21 mi·22 min·SC 14
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 26
56 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 26
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26
60 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 26
Toward CharlestonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 169AToward I 95 South: Savannah
12
Merge onto I 95
57 mi·1 hr·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward SC 462: Coosawhatchie
14
Turn left onto SC 462
9.6 mi·13 min·Coosaw Scenic Drive
15
Continue on SC 462
7.9 mi·10 min·Lowcountry Drive
16
Turn right onto SC 170
4.2 mi·4 min·Okatie Highway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
18
Merge onto US 278
9.3 mi·12 min·Fording Island Road
19
Continue on US 278
3.4 mi·4 min·William Hilton Parkway
20
Arrive at destination
US 278
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 120.9 miles from Five Forks, SC, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 116 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 53 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 120.9 miles or 2h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hilton Head, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Five Forks, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Five Forks, SC
This is one driving day of about 241.7 miles and 4h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Five Forks, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 26 for about 116 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 120.9 mi from Five Forks, SC
· 2h 20m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.80 one way
$75.59 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$41.33
$82.65
premium
$4.70
$44.73
$89.47
diesel
$5.61
$53.36
$106.73
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
72.5
0
$25.38
$11.60
Efficient EV
60.4
0
$21.15
$9.67
EV Truck/SUV
96.7
1
$33.84
$15.47
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Five Forks, SC
Morning
in Five Forks on Friday
Local time
9:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hilton Head, SC
Morning
in Hilton Head on Friday
Local time
9:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°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
10 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
4h 41m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Five Forks, SC to Hilton Head, SC covers 241.7 miles and takes about 4h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 26, I 95, SC 14. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 120.9 miles from Five Forks, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.80 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 241.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 (Scuffletown Road): Navigation decision point; at 33.4 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 89.2 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Five Forks, SC to Hilton Head, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Charleston along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
