The drive from Ogden, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 230.2 miles and takes about 4h 23m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, Michael Jordan Highway, Salem Parkway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 106.4 miles on I 40.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
115.1 miles from Ogden, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 8m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 23m. Total distance: 230.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Ogden, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 230.2 miles and takes about 4h 23m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 106.4 miles.
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 3.1 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 230.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 109.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
3.1 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NC 140 West: Shallotte, Raleigh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NC 140 West: Shallotte, Raleigh
6
5.8 mi into trip|~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 West: Benson, Raleigh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 West: Benson, Raleigh
6
109.8 mi into trip|~2h 2m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
216.2 mi into trip|~4h 5m in|US 421 / Salem Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421 / Salem Parkway toward US 421 North: Kernersville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 206
Toward US 421 North: Kernersville
7
229.5 mi into trip|~4h 21m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 233A
Toward Main Street
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
106.4 mi
2h 3m
Michael Jordan Highway
103.3 mi
1h 50m
Salem Parkway
13.4 mi
16m
Military Cutoff Road
1.6 mi
2m
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
1.5 mi
1m
Bayshore Drive
0.9 mi
1m
Market Street
0.6 mi
1m
South Main Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 106.4 mi, about 2h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ogden, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.
1
Start on US 17
0.6 mi·1 min·Market Street
2
Turn left onto Bayshore Drive
0.9 mi·1 min·Bayshore Drive
3
Turn right onto NC 417
1.6 mi·2 min·Military Cutoff Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward NC 140 West: Shallotte, Raleigh
5
Merge onto NC 140
1.5 mi·1 min·John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 40: Raleigh, Wilmington
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 40 West: Benson, Raleigh
8
Merge onto I 40
103 mi·1 hr 50 min·Michael Jordan Highway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
86 mi·1 hr 38 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi·9 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220
13 mi·15 min·I 40; US 220
Use the straight lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421
13 mi·16 min·Salem Parkway
Exit 206Toward US 421 North: KernersvilleUse the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 233AToward Main StreetUse the slight right lane.
14
Turn slight right onto South Main Street
0.4 mi·44 sec·South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 115.1 miles from Ogden, NC, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106.4 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 51 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.1 miles or 2h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Winston-Salem, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ogden, 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 Ogden, NC
This is one driving day of about 230.2 miles and 4h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Ogden, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 106.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 115.1 mi from Ogden, NC
· 2h 8m into the drive
The midpoint is around 115.1 miles from Ogden, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 106.4 miles.
Arriving in Winston-Salem, NC
The final approach into Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 15.9
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.1
0
$24.17
$11.05
Efficient EV
57.6
0
$20.14
$9.21
EV Truck/SUV
92.1
1
$32.23
$14.73
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Ogden, NC
Late night
in Ogden on Saturday
Local time
3:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Winston-Salem, NC
Late night
in Winston-Salem on Saturday
Local time
3:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
10 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
4h 23m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ogden, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 230.2 miles and takes about 4h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, Michael Jordan Highway, Salem Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 115.1 miles from Ogden, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $36.00 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 230.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 109.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Ogden, NC to Winston-Salem, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
