Origin
Raleigh, NC
Afternoon in Raleigh on Saturday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Raleigh, NC to Wilsons Mills, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
26.1 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Wilsons Mills, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Raleigh, NC to Wilsons Mills, NC covers 26.1 miles and takes about 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway, US 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.3 miles on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| US 70 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Hammond Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Blount Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Swift Creek Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Wilson's Mills Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fire Department Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
— 10.3 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh, NC and Wilsons Mills, NC.
1
Start on East South Street
506 ft
·
21 sec
·
East South Street
2
Turn right onto South Blount Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Blount Street
3
Continue on Hammond Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hammond Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
5
Merge onto I 40; US 64
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 42
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
Exit 309
Toward I 42 East: Smithfield, Goldsboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 70
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 70
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
10
Turn slight left onto Swift Creek Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Swift Creek Road
11
Turn right onto Wilson's Mills Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Wilson's Mills Road
12
Turn left onto Fire Department Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Fire Department Road
13
Arrive at destination
Fire Department Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 26 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Blount Street
Turn right onto South Blount Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge onto I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway toward I 40 East: Wilmington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
9
11.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 42 / Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 42 / Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway toward I 42 East: Smithfield, Goldsboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 309
Toward I 42 East: Smithfield, Goldsboro
4
26 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Fire Department Road
Turn left onto Fire Department Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.08 one way
$8.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.46 | $8.93 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.83 | $9.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.76 | $11.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Wilsons Mills, NC
Afternoon in Wilsons Mills on Saturday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
2 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
33m 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?
26.1 mi in 33m — 50% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Thomas Bradshaw Freeway.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Blount Street.
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 26.1 miles you will encounter 7 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 (South Blount Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Raleigh, NC to Wilsons Mills, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Goldsboro along the way.
Goldsboro
11.9 mi in
|
~15m
|
via I 42
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 26.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. 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: at 0.1 miles (South Blount Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wilsons Mills, NC before heading back.
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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