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Trip from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

3h 28m

Distance

166.5 mi

268 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$26

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 16m ★
6 AM
3h 29m
8 AM
3h 53m
10 AM
3h 37m
12 PM
3h 35m
3 PM
3h 39m
5 PM
3h 52m
8 PM
3h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plain region North Carolina, United States

Rocky Mount, NC

Wikimedia Commons

city and the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina, United States

Albemarle, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC covers 166.5 miles and takes about 3h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Hill Street, Arlington Street, Atlantic Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.04 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

83.2 miles from Rocky Mount, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 28m drive with frequent turns across 166.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hill Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC is easy. At 3h 28m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Hill Street
Arlington Street
Atlantic Avenue
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Dan K Moore Freeway
I 440 East
US 1 South
Claude E

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Hill Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rocky Mount, NC and Albemarle, NC.

1

Start on Cokey Road

427 ft · 19 sec · Cokey Road
2

Turn sharp right onto Hill Street

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Hill Street
3

Turn right onto Arlington Street

174 ft · 4 sec · Arlington Street
4

Keep slight left to continue on Arlington Street

269 ft · 7 sec · Arlington Street
5

Continue on Atlantic Avenue

1.4 mi · 2 min · Atlantic Avenue
6

Take the ramp slight right

0.2 mi · 23 sec
7

Merge slight left

51 mi · 55 min
8

Merge slight left

2.7 mi · 3 min
9

Merge slight left onto Thomas Bradshaw Freeway

3.2 mi · 3 min · Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
10

Continue on Dan K Moore Freeway

2.7 mi · 3 min · Dan K Moore Freeway
11

Continue on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway

1.1 mi · 1 min · Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
12

Continue on Dan K Moore Freeway

0.7 mi · 51 sec · Dan K Moore Freeway
13

Take the exit slight right toward I 440 East, US 1, US 64 West: Raleigh, Wake Forest, Sanford, Asheboro

0.2 mi · 28 sec · I 440 East, US 1, US 64 West: Raleigh, Wake Forest, Sanford, Asheboro
14

Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro

0.4 mi · 41 sec · US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro
15

Keep slight right to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro

0.3 mi · 38 sec · US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro
16

Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford, Asheboro

0.4 mi · 29 sec · US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford, Asheboro
17

Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro

0.4 mi · 27 sec · US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro
18

Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro

0.1 mi · 8 sec · US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro
19

Merge slight left onto Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway

22 mi · 24 min · Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
20

Continue on Jefferson Davis Highway

17 mi · 20 min · Jefferson Davis Highway
21

Turn slight right onto White Hill Road

11 mi · 14 min · White Hill Road
22

Continue on Monroe Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · Monroe Street
23

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Courthouse Square

335 ft · 6 sec · Courthouse Square
24

Exit the rotary onto McReynolds Street

42 mi · 59 min · McReynolds Street
25

Continue on Albemarle Road

5.4 mi · 6 min · Albemarle Road
26

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Albemarle Road

115 ft · 2 sec · Albemarle Road
27

Exit the roundabout onto Albemarle Road

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Albemarle Road
28

Turn left

1.7 mi · 3 min
29

Take the exit slight right

0.2 mi · 24 sec
30

Turn right onto South 2nd Street

0.3 mi · 28 sec · South 2nd Street
31

Continue on South 1st Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South 1st Street
32

Turn left onto West Main Street

138 ft · 6 sec · West Main Street
33

Arrive at your destination

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 83.2 miles from Rocky Mount, NC, or about 1h 44m into the drive.

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 37 miles or 46m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 83.2 miles or 1h 44m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 51m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Albemarle, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rocky Mount, 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 Rocky Mount, NC

This is one driving day of about 166.5 miles and 3h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Rocky Mount, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 83.2 mi from Rocky Mount, NC · 1h 44m into the drive

Downtown Apex, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Apex, NC

83 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

Clayton, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Apex, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 83.2 miles from Rocky Mount, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Albemarle, NC

The final approach into Albemarle, 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 Albemarle, NC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$26.04 one way

$52.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 58 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $28.47 $56.94
premium $4.70 $30.82 $61.63
diesel $5.61 $36.76 $73.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$26

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$51–$76

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 58.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 49.9 0 $17.48 $7.99
Efficient EV 41.6 0 $14.57 $6.66
EV Truck/SUV 66.6 0 $23.31 $10.66

Gas CO2

58 kg

EV CO2

19 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Rocky Mount, NC

Evening in Rocky Mount on Wednesday

Local time

6:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Albemarle, NC

Evening in Albemarle on Wednesday

Local time

6:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°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

24 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

3h 28m 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 Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC covers 166.5 miles and takes about 3h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hill Street, Arlington Street, Atlantic Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 83.2 miles from Rocky Mount, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.04 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC is easy. At 3h 28m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rocky Mount, NC to Albemarle, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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