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Trip from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC

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

Drive Time

2h 32m

Distance

119 mi

192 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 22m ★
6 AM
2h 32m
8 AM
2h 53m
10 AM
2h 39m
12 PM
2h 37m
3 PM
2h 40m
5 PM
2h 52m
8 PM
2h 26m

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

Downtown Maine, NC, NC

Maine, NC

Mohan Nannapaneni

Downtown Lake Lure, NC, NC

Lake Lure, NC

Niki Clark

Trip Overview

The drive from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC covers 119 miles and takes about 2h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Country Lane, Yadkinville Road, US 221 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.61 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

59.5 miles from Maine, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 119 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 32m drive with frequent turns across 119 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Country Lane is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC is easy. At 2h 32m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Country Lane
Yadkinville Road
US 221
North Main Street
Mud Cut Road
Sugar Hill Road
Montford Cove Road
Cove Road

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Country Lane — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maine, NC and Lake Lure, NC.

1

Start on Oak Grove Church Road

49 ft · 9 sec · Oak Grove Church Road
2

Turn left

0.5 mi · 42 sec
3

Turn right onto Country Lane

2.3 mi · 3 min · Country Lane
4

Turn right onto Yadkinville Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Yadkinville Road
5

Take the ramp left

0.4 mi · 45 sec
6

Merge slight left

84 mi · 1 hr 35 min
7

Take the exit slight right toward US 221: Marion, Rutherfordton

0.2 mi · 32 sec · US 221: Marion, Rutherfordton
8

At the end of the road, turn left onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 13 sec · North Main Street
9

Continue on US 221

3.9 mi · 5 min · US 221
10

Turn right onto Mud Cut Road

3.8 mi · 6 min · Mud Cut Road
11

At the end of the road, turn left onto Sugar Hill Road

459 ft · 7 sec · Sugar Hill Road
12

Continue on Montford Cove Road

4.1 mi · 5 min · Montford Cove Road
13

Continue on Cove Road

6.2 mi · 10 min · Cove Road
14

Turn right onto Freeman Town Road

0.7 mi · 2 min · Freeman Town Road
15

Keep slight left to continue on McEntire Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · McEntire Road
16

At the end of the road, turn right onto McEntire Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · McEntire Road
17

Turn right onto Chimney Rock Road

5.8 mi · 8 min · Chimney Rock Road
18

Continue on Memorial Highway

1.8 mi · 3 min · Memorial Highway
19

Turn right onto Memorial Highway

1.4 mi · 3 min · Memorial Highway
20

Arrive at your destination

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.5 miles from Maine, NC, or about 1h 16m into the drive.

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 26 miles or 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 59.5 miles or 1h 16m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 4m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Maine, 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 Maine, NC

This is one driving day of about 119 miles and 2h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Maine, NC.
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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 59.5 mi from Maine, NC · 1h 16m into the drive

Downtown West Marion, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West Marion, NC

60 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

Newton, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

West Marion, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 59.5 miles from Maine, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lake Lure, NC

The final approach into Lake Lure, NC 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 Lake Lure, NC.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.61 one way

$37.22 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 42 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $20.35 $40.69
premium $4.70 $22.02 $44.05
diesel $5.61 $26.27 $52.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 41.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 35.7 0 $12.49 $5.71
Efficient EV 29.8 0 $10.41 $4.76
EV Truck/SUV 47.6 0 $16.66 $7.62

Gas CO2

42 kg

EV CO2

14 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 17, 2026

Origin

Maine, NC

Morning in Maine on Saturday

Local time

7:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lake Lure, NC

Morning in Lake Lure on Saturday

Local time

7:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°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

9 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 32m 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 Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC covers 119 miles and takes about 2h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Country Lane, Yadkinville Road, US 221. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 59.5 miles from Maine, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.61 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC is easy. At 2h 32m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Maine, NC to Lake Lure, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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