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Trip from Pinehurst, NC to Winston-Salem, NC

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

Drive Time

1h 55m

Distance

88.2 mi

142 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 47m ★
6 AM
1h 56m
8 AM
2h 12m
10 AM
2h 2m
12 PM
2h 0m
3 PM
2h 2m
5 PM
2h 12m
8 PM
1h 51m

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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Downtown Pinehurst, NC, NC

Pinehurst, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

The drive from Pinehurst, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 88.2 miles and takes about 1h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 421, Wilkesboro Boulevard Northeast, Morganton Boulevard Southwest for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 53.1 miles on US 421. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.79 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

44.1 miles from Pinehurst, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 88.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 55m highway drive covering 88.2 miles, with most of the trip on US 421 and Wilkesboro Boulevard Northeast. The longest continuous stretch is about 53.1 miles on US 421.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 421 is the longest continuous segment at about 53.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 421 and Wilkesboro Boulevard Northeast. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Calico Road.

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 88.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (Calico Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 64; NC 18 / Morganton Boulevard Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 87.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Calico Road

Turn right onto Calico Road

Navigation decision point

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 64; NC 18 / Morganton Boulevard Southwest

At end of road, turn right onto US 64; NC 18 / Morganton Boulevard Southwest

Navigation decision point

8
87.3 mi into trip | ~1h 53m in

Take the exit toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 233B Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
7
87.8 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in | West 2nd Street

Turn right onto West 2nd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
87.9 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in | North Main Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 421 53.1 mi 1h 2m
Wilkesboro Boulevard Northeast 22.8 mi 32m
Morganton Boulevard Southwest 6.4 mi 10m
NC 16 2.9 mi 4m
Wilkesboro Boulevard Southeast 1.4 mi 2m
North Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
Cherry Street South 0.2 mi <1m
Calico Road 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 421 — 53.1 mi, about 1h 2m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pinehurst, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.

1

Start on Turtle Dove Street

484 ft · 23 sec · Turtle Dove Street
2

Turn right onto Calico Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Calico Road
3

At end of road, turn right onto US 64; NC 18

6.4 mi · 10 min · Morganton Boulevard Southwest
4

At end of road, turn right onto US 64; NC 18

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Harper Avenue
5

Continue on US 64; NC 18; NC 90

1.4 mi · 2 min · Wilkesboro Boulevard Southeast
6

Continue on NC 18

23 mi · 32 min · Wilkesboro Boulevard Northeast
Use the straight lane.
7

Turn left onto NC 16; NC 18

2.9 mi · 4 min · NC 16; NC 18
Use the left lane.
8

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
9

Merge onto US 421

53 mi · 1 hr 2 min · US 421
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Exit 233B Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street Use the slight right lane.
11

Continue on High Street Southwest

459 ft · 15 sec · High Street Southwest
12

Turn left onto Cherry Street South

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Cherry Street South
13

Turn right onto West 2nd Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
15

Arrive at destination

North Main Street

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 44.1 miles from Pinehurst, NC, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53.1 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 19 miles or 29m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 44.1 miles or 1h 3m 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 39m

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 Pinehurst, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Pinehurst, NC

This is one driving day of about 88.2 miles and 1h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Pinehurst, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 421 for about 53.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 44.1 mi from Pinehurst, NC · 1h 3m into the drive

town in and the county seat of Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wilkesboro, NC

44 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.

Popular next leg

Wilkesboro, NC to Winston-Salem, NC

55 mi · 1h 6m

Pacing Suggestions

Moravian Falls, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

North Wilkesboro, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.1 miles from Pinehurst, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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.

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.

Top Restaurant

West End Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Near the end, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20 mile 88.2

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13367234774

Visit website

West End Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20 mile 88.2

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13367234774

Visit website

Adventure Landing Winston-Salem

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 81.9

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13367684730

Visit website

Safari Nation Winston-Salem

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 88.2

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+13365233355

Visit website

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.79 one way

$27.59 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $15.08 $30.16
premium $4.70 $16.32 $32.65
diesel $5.61 $19.47 $38.95

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.5 0 $9.26 $4.23
Efficient EV 22.1 0 $7.72 $3.53
EV Truck/SUV 35.3 0 $12.35 $5.64

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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

Pinehurst, NC

Late night in Pinehurst on Saturday

Local time

4:14 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Winston-Salem, NC

Late night in Winston-Salem on Saturday

Local time

4:14 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

1h 55m 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 Pinehurst, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 88.2 miles and takes about 1h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 421, Wilkesboro Boulevard Northeast, Morganton Boulevard Southwest. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 44.1 miles from Pinehurst, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.79 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.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 88.2 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Calico Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 64; NC 18 / Morganton Boulevard Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 87.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

The route from Pinehurst, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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