Skip to main content

Trip from Florence, SC to Great Falls, SC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 2m

Distance

85.3 mi

137 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 53m ★
6 AM
2h 2m
8 AM
2h 20m
10 AM
2h 8m
12 PM
2h 7m
3 PM
2h 9m
5 PM
2h 19m
8 PM
1h 57m

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

county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States

Florence, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Great Falls, SC, SC

Great Falls, SC

Wilson Rodriguez

Trip Overview

The drive from Florence, SC to Great Falls, SC covers 85.3 miles and takes about 2h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on J Strom Thurmond Freeway, John G Richards Road, Cedar Creek Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 43.9 miles on J Strom Thurmond Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.34 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

42.7 miles from Florence, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 85.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (53%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

The drive from Florence, SC to Great Falls, SC covers 85.3 miles and takes about 2h 2m, 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 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
J Strom Thurmond Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 43.9 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 early in the drive.

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 2h 2m drive. You will face about 11 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (East Cheves Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Warley Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Cheves Street

At end of road, turn left onto East Cheves Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in | Warley Street

Turn right onto Warley Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | S-21-31 / West Evans Street

Turn left onto S-21-31 / West Evans Street

Navigation decision point

8
48.6 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward US 521: Camden, Rembert

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 98 Toward US 521: Camden, Rembert

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 Florence, SC to Great Falls, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Rembert along the way.

Rembert

48.6 mi in | ~56m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
J Strom Thurmond Freeway 43.9 mi 47m
John G Richards Road 18.5 mi 32m
Cedar Creek Road 10 mi 17m
Broad Street 3.1 mi 7m
West Evans Street 2.4 mi 4m
Liberty Hill Road 1.5 mi 2m
West David H McLeod Boulevard 1.5 mi 2m
US 21 1.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: J Strom Thurmond Freeway — 43.9 mi, about 47m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Florence, SC and Great Falls, SC.

1

Start on this road

50 ft · 8 sec · this road
2

Turn left

133 ft · 15 sec
3

At end of road, turn left onto East Cheves Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Cheves Street
4

Turn right onto Warley Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Warley Street
5

Turn left onto S-21-31

2.4 mi · 4 min · West Evans Street
6

Turn right onto I 20 Bus

1.5 mi · 2 min · West David H McLeod Boulevard
7

Continue on I 20 Bus

44 mi · 47 min · J Strom Thurmond Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 98 Toward US 521: Camden, Rembert Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto US 521

1.2 mi · 1 min · Sumter Highway
10

Continue on US 521

3.1 mi · 7 min · Broad Street
11

Turn left onto SC 97

1.5 mi · 2 min · Liberty Hill Road
12

Continue on SC 97

18 mi · 32 min · John G Richards Road
13

Continue on SC 97

9.6 mi · 16 min · Cedar Creek Road
14

At end of road, turn left onto SC 97; SC 200

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Cedar Creek Road
15

Continue on SC 97; SC 200

526 ft · 10 sec · State Highway 97
16

Continue on US 21

0.2 mi · 17 sec · US 21
17

Keep slight left at fork onto US 21

1.2 mi · 1 min · US 21
18

At end of road, turn left onto US 21; SC 200

0.6 mi · 56 sec · Chester Avenue
19

Arrive at destination

US 21; SC 200

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 42.7 miles from Florence, SC, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.9 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 19 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 42.7 miles or 50m 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 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Great Falls, SC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Florence, 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 Florence, SC

This is one driving day of about 85.3 miles and 2h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Florence, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on J Strom Thurmond Freeway for about 43.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 42.7 mi from Florence, SC · 50m into the drive

city in South Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Camden, SC

43 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

Bishopville, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Camden, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 42.7 miles from Florence, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Great Falls, SC

The final approach into Great Falls, SC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Great Falls, SC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.34 one way

$26.68 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $14.58 $29.17
premium $4.70 $15.79 $31.57
diesel $5.61 $18.83 $37.67

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.6 0 $8.96 $4.09
Efficient EV 21.3 0 $7.46 $3.41
EV Truck/SUV 34.1 0 $11.94 $5.46

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Florence, SC

Morning in Florence on Friday

Local time

7:03 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Great Falls, SC

Morning in Great Falls on Friday

Local time

7:03 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

Camden, SC

43 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

25 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

2h 2m 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 Florence, SC to Great Falls, SC covers 85.3 miles and takes about 2h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are J Strom Thurmond Freeway, John G Richards Road, Cedar Creek Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 42.7 miles from Florence, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.34 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 2h 2m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (East Cheves Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Warley Street): Navigation decision point.

On the drive from Florence, SC to Great Falls, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Rembert 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. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Great Falls, SC to Florence, SC

Plan the drive back the other way.

85.3 mi 2h 2m

Explore more options from Florence, SC or browse trips ending in Great Falls, SC.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse SC road trips.