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Trip from Jacksonville, NC to Rocky Mount, NC

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

Drive Time

2h 24m

Distance

99 mi

159 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 15m ★
6 AM
2h 25m
8 AM
2h 45m
10 AM
2h 32m
12 PM
2h 30m
3 PM
2h 33m
5 PM
2h 44m
8 PM
2h 19m

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 Onslow County, North Carolina, United States

Jacksonville, NC

Wikimedia Commons

city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plain region North Carolina, United States

Rocky Mount, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Jacksonville, NC to Rocky Mount, NC covers 99 miles and takes about 2h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Kinston Highway, Highway 58 North, US 301 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.6 miles on Kinston Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.48 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

49.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 12m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Kinston Highway 22.6 mi 31m
Highway 58 North 13.4 mi 18m
US 301 12.7 mi 17m
US 258 12.7 mi 19m
Richlands Highway 11.9 mi 17m
Moyton Avenue 8 mi 11m
South Church Street 4.1 mi 6m
Koonce Fork Road 3.4 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Kinston Highway — 22.6 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, NC and Rocky Mount, NC.

1

Start on US 17 Business; NC 24 Business

1.1 mi · 1 min · Marine Boulevard
2

Keep slight right at fork onto US 258; NC 24 Business

1.4 mi · 2 min · Richlands Highway
3

Continue on US 258; NC 24

11 mi · 15 min · Richlands Highway
4

Turn left onto Koonce Fork Road

3.4 mi · 5 min · Koonce Fork Road
5

Turn right

75 ft · 8 sec
6

Turn left onto US 258

23 mi · 31 min · Kinston Highway
7

Turn left onto Central Avenue

347 ft · 8 sec · Central Avenue
8

Turn right onto Goodman Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · Goodman Road
9

At end of road, turn right onto NC 11; NC 55

0.8 mi · 1 min · Old Pink Hill Road
10

Turn left onto US 70; US 258

2.1 mi · 2 min · West New Bern Road
11

Continue on US 70; US 258

0.4 mi · 49 sec · West Vernon Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Turn right onto US 258

13 mi · 19 min · US 258
Use the right lane.
13

Turn left onto US 258 Truck; NC 58

2.8 mi · 5 min · Kingold Boulevard
14

Turn right onto NC 58

13 mi · 18 min · Highway 58 North
15

Continue on NC 58

8.0 mi · 11 min · Moyton Avenue
16

Turn right onto Lipscomb Road East

1.0 mi · 2 min · Lipscomb Road East
17

Turn right onto US 301

13 mi · 17 min · US 301
Use the straight lane.
18

Turn right onto US 301 BUS

4.1 mi · 6 min · South Church Street
19

Turn right onto US 64 BUS

503 ft · 14 sec · Sunset Avenue
20

Continue on US 64 BUS

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Tarboro Street
21

Turn slight right onto Cokey Road

223 ft · 5 sec · Cokey Road
22

Arrive at destination

Cokey Road

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 49.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.6 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 22 miles or 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 49.5 miles or 1h 12m 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 58m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Jacksonville, NC 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 Jacksonville, NC

This is one driving day of about 99 miles and 2h 24m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Jacksonville, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Kinston Highway for about 22.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Kinston, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Kinston, NC

50 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

Richlands, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kinston, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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.

El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 to $20 mile 99

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+12524435094

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour

Jacksonville, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

2.8 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 99

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 42.4

Kinston, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

Jacksonville, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

3.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour

Jacksonville, North Carolina

Universal Charging Station

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 99

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18663502738

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 99

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 99

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18006360986

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 81.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
1.1 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

4
16.4 mi into trip | ~24m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

4
16.4 mi into trip | ~24m in | US 258 / Kinston Highway

Turn left onto US 258 / Kinston Highway

Navigation decision point

5
43.9 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | US 258

Turn right onto US 258

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
81.7 mi into trip | ~1h 59m in | US 301

Turn right onto US 301

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.48 one way

$30.96 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $16.93 $33.85
premium $4.70 $18.32 $36.65
diesel $5.61 $21.86 $43.72

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.7 0 $10.40 $4.75
Efficient EV 24.8 0 $8.66 $3.96
EV Truck/SUV 39.6 0 $13.86 $6.34

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (66% 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

Jacksonville, NC

Afternoon in Jacksonville on Saturday

Local time

2:59 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Rocky Mount, NC

Afternoon in Rocky Mount on Saturday

Local time

2:59 PM

EDT

Current temp

56°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

17 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 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.

What kind of drive is this?

99 mi in 2h 24m — 39% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Kinston Highway.

39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.6 mi on Kinston Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 99 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.1 miles (US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 16.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 16.4 miles (US 258 / Kinston Highway): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Arriving in Rocky Mount, NC

Full guide →

Rocky Mount is a city in North Carolina. Its dawning days were more or less centered around cotton mills in the early 19th century, though it was settled as early as the 1700s by Europeans. Eventually tobacco became the prized crop and warehouses and rail stations sprung up to export this commodity. Rocky Mount, though with a reputation tarnished somewhat by crime and urban decay, is the birthplace of Mike Tyson and Hardee's fast food restaurants and where Jim Thorpe debuted with the Rocky Mountain Railroaders and Jack Kerouac wrote parts of "The Dharma Bums" during his visits there.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 99 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.6 miles on Kinston Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 16.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 16.4 miles (US 258 / Kinston Highway): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rocky Mount, NC before heading back.

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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