Origin
Mount Olive, NC
Afternoon in Mount Olive on Friday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
49.2 mi
79 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Olive, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 49.2 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NC 87, Andrew Jackson Highway, Lisbon Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.3 miles on NC 87. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 49.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 49.2 miles and takes about 1h 7m, 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 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NC 87 is the longest continuous segment at about 20.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC is easy. At 1h 7m with 41% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (Rosindale Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (Lisbon Road): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
Turn left onto Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
Navigation decision point
3
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Rosindale Road
Turn left onto Rosindale Road
Navigation decision point
3
5.4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Lisbon Road
Turn left onto Lisbon Road
Navigation decision point
4
11.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
NC 87
At end of road, turn right onto NC 87
Navigation decision point
3
32 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
US 74; US 76; NC 87 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Merge onto US 74; US 76; NC 87 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 87 | 20.3 mi | 27m |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 13.3 mi | 17m |
| Lisbon Road | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| Rosindale Road | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Ocean Highway East | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Cape Fear Memorial Bridge | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South 3rd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 87
— 20.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Olive, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on Mount Olive Road
317 ft
·
17 sec
·
Mount Olive Road
2
Turn left onto Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
3
Turn left onto Rosindale Road
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Rosindale Road
4
Turn left onto Lisbon Road
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Lisbon Road
5
At end of road, turn right onto NC 87
20 mi
·
27 min
·
NC 87
6
Merge onto US 74; US 76; NC 87
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
7
Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Ocean Highway East
8
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
9
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
South 3rd Street
10
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.6 mi from Mount Olive, NC · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.6 miles from Mount Olive, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Wilmington, NC
The final approach into Wilmington, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.69 one way
$15.39 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.41 | $16.82 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.11 | $18.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.86 | $21.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.17 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.89 | $3.15 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Wilmington, NC
Afternoon in Wilmington on Friday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
3 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
1h 7m 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 Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 49.2 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NC 87, Andrew Jackson Highway, Lisbon Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.6 miles from Mount Olive, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.69 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.
The drive from Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC is easy. At 1h 7m with 41% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (Rosindale Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (Lisbon Road): Navigation decision point.
The route from Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Moores Creek National Battlefield.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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