Origin
Hillside, SC
Night in Hillside on Wednesday
Local time
11:10 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hillside, SC to Gaston, SC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
24m
Distance
17.6 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hillside, SC
Huy Phan
Gaston, SC
Daniel Sell
Trip Overview
The drive from Hillside, SC to Gaston, SC covers 17.6 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 321, Augusta Road, I 26 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4.8 miles on Highway 321. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.75 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
8.8 miles from Hillside, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 13m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Hillside, SC to Gaston, SC covers 17.6 miles and takes about 24m, 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 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 321 is the longest continuous segment at about 4.8 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
497 ft
149 ft
Total Climb
495 ft
Total Descent
367 ft
Highest Point
497 ft
~17.6 mi in
Elevation Range
348 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Laurel Road.
Route Complexity
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 17.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Laurel Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Two Notch Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5.3 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Laurel Road
Turn left onto Laurel Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Two Notch Road
Enter roundabout onto Two Notch Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
5.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce
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 115
Toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce
6
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hillside, SC and Gaston, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Cayce.
Charleston
5.1 mi in
|
~8m
Cayce
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 321 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Augusta Road | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| I 26 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Charleston Highway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| North Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Two Notch Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Laurel Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Backman Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 321
— 4.8 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hillside, SC and Gaston, SC.
1
Start on Backman Road
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Backman Road
2
Turn left onto Laurel Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Laurel Road
3
Enter roundabout onto Two Notch Road
41 ft
·
1 sec
·
Two Notch Road
4
Continue on Two Notch Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Two Notch Road
5
Turn left onto Kitti Wake Drive
457 ft
·
14 sec
·
Kitti Wake Drive
6
Turn right onto US 1
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Augusta Road
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Charleston
8
Merge onto I 26
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
I 26
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 115
Toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
302 ft
·
7 sec
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 21; US 176; US 321
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Charleston Highway
12
Turn slight right onto US 321
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Highway 321
13
Continue on US 321
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 321
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 8.8 miles from Hillside, SC, or about 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 4.8 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 17.6 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 8.8 miles or 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gaston, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Hillside, SC.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Hillside, SC
This is one driving day of about 17.6 miles and 24m.
At 17.6 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Highway 321 for about 4.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 8.8 mi from Hillside, SC · 13m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 8.8 miles from Hillside, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gaston, SC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Gaston, SC 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
$2.75 one way
$5.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.01 | $6.02 |
| premium | $4.70 | $3.26 | $6.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.89 | $7.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.13 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Gaston, SC
Night in Gaston on Wednesday
Local time
11:10 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°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
14 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
24m 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 Hillside, SC to Gaston, SC covers 17.6 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 321, Augusta Road, I 26. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.8 miles from Hillside, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.75 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 9 decision points packed into just 17.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Laurel Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Two Notch Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5.3 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Hillside, SC and Gaston, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Cayce.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 149 ft to 497 ft elevation with about 495 ft of total climbing.
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