Origin
Glen Raven, NC
Afternoon in Glen Raven on Thursday
Local time
3:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glen Raven, NC to Durham, NC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
46m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glen Raven, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Glen Raven, NC to Durham, NC covers 36.5 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Sam Hunt Freeway, I 85, Durham Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.3 miles on Sam Hunt Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 46m highway drive covering 36.5 miles, with most of the trip on Sam Hunt Freeway and I 85. The longest continuous stretch is about 14.3 miles on Sam Hunt Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sam Hunt Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Sam Hunt Freeway and I 85. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.3 miles (I 85; NC 86 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue
Turn right onto NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
21.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; NC 86 Truck toward I 85 North: Durham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 85 North: Durham
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke Univ...
7
35.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Glen Raven, NC and Durham, NC, road signs point toward Duke University, Carolina Central University and Research Triangle Park.
Duke University
30.6 mi in
|
~37m
|
via NC 147
Carolina Central University
30.6 mi in
|
~37m
|
via NC 147
Research Triangle Park
30.6 mi in
|
~37m
|
via NC 147
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Hunt Freeway | 14.3 mi | 16m |
| I 85 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Durham Freeway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| West Webb Avenue | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| West Harden Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Harden Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Elm Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sam Hunt Freeway
— 14.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glen Raven, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on this road
385 ft
·
31 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto NC 87; NC 100
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West Webb Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on NC 87
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
West Elm Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Harden Street
Use the left lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto NC 54
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
6
Continue on NC 54
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
7
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
8
Merge onto I 40; I 85
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; NC 86 Truck
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Toward I 85 North: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Durham Freeway
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
512 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on Morehead Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Morehead Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.3 mi from Glen Raven, NC · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Glen Raven, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Durham, NC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Durham, NC if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.71 one way
$11.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.24 | $12.48 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.76 | $13.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Durham, NC
Afternoon in Durham on Thursday
Local time
3:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
46m 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 Glen Raven, NC to Durham, NC covers 36.5 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sam Hunt Freeway, I 85, Durham Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.3 miles from Glen Raven, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.71 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.3 miles (I 85; NC 86 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Glen Raven, NC and Durham, NC, road signs point toward Duke University, Carolina Central University and Research Triangle Park.
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