Origin
Norcross, GA
Afternoon in Norcross on Saturday
Local time
4:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Norcross, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12m
Distance
6.1 mi
10 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 12m
★
6 AM
0h 13m
8 AM
0h 15m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 13m
3 PM
0h 14m
5 PM
0h 15m
8 PM
0h 12m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Norcross, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Sami Laughlin
Trip Overview
The drive from Norcross, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA covers 6.1 miles and takes about 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Buford Highway, Creek Drive Northwest, South Cemetery Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4.6 miles on Buford Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $0.95 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Buford Highway | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| Creek Drive Northwest | 0.9 mi | 3m |
| South Cemetery Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Mockingbird Circle | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Blue Jay Drive Northwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Peachtree Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Buford Highway
— 4.6 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norcross, GA and Cardinal Lake Estates, GA.
1
Start on South Peachtree Street
52 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Peachtree Street
2
Turn left onto South Cemetery Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
South Cemetery Street
3
Turn left onto US 23; GA 13
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Buford Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Creek Drive Northwest
0.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Creek Drive Northwest
5
Continue on Blue Jay Drive Northwest
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Blue Jay Drive Northwest
6
At end of road, turn right onto Mockingbird Circle
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Mockingbird Circle
7
Turn left onto Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
165 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
8
Continue on Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
52 ft
·
2 sec
·
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
9
Arrive at destination
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Cemetery Street
Turn left onto South Cemetery Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway
Turn left onto US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
4.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Creek Drive Northwest
Turn right onto Creek Drive Northwest
Navigation decision point
5
5.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Mockingbird Circle
At end of road, turn right onto Mockingbird Circle
Navigation decision point
4
6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Turn left onto Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$0.95 one way
$1.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.04 | $2.09 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.13 | $2.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.35 | $2.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.64 | $0.29 |
| Efficient EV | 1.5 | 0 | $0.53 | $0.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Afternoon in Cardinal Lake Estates on Saturday
Local time
4:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
4 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
12m 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?
6.1 mi in 12m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.6 mi on Buford Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Cemetery Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 12m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Cemetery Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (Creek Drive Northwest): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 12m. Total distance: 6.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.6 miles on Buford Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Cemetery Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (Creek Drive Northwest): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cardinal Lake Estates, GA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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