Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Roseboro, NC to Cary, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 33m

Distance

74 mi

119 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 27m ★
6 AM
1h 34m
8 AM
1h 48m
10 AM
1h 39m
12 PM
1h 37m
3 PM
1h 40m
5 PM
1h 47m
8 PM
1h 30m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Roseboro, NC, NC

Roseboro, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Downtown Cary, NC, NC

Cary, NC

C k

Trip Overview

The drive from Roseboro, NC to Cary, NC covers 74 miles and takes about 1h 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 40, North Salemburg Highway, NC 96 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.5 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.57 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

37 miles from Roseboro, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 33m. Total distance: 74 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 33m highway drive covering 74 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and North Salemburg Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 42.5 miles on I 40.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 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 42.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and North Salemburg Highway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 28.7 miles in.

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 74 miles you will encounter 11 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 28.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 49.3 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

5
28.7 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the ramp

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
49.3 mi into trip | ~1h 4m 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.
6
71.5 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in

Take the exit toward NC 54: Cary

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward NC 54: Cary
5
71.8 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in | NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road

Turn left onto NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
74 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | North Academy Street

Turn right onto North Academy Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 42.5 mi 46m
North Salemburg Highway 8.7 mi 12m
NC 96 5.4 mi 7m
Easy Street 4.3 mi 5m
Spiveys Corner Highway 4 mi 5m
South Salemburg Highway 2.7 mi 3m
Chapel Hill Road 2.2 mi 3m
South Main Street 1.8 mi 3m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 42.5 mi, about 46m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Roseboro, NC and Cary, NC.

1

Start on East Roseboro Street

151 ft · 10 sec · East Roseboro Street
2

Turn right onto NC 242

0.7 mi · 1 min · North East Street
3

Continue on NC 242

2.7 mi · 3 min · South Salemburg Highway
4

Continue on NC 242

1.8 mi · 3 min · South Main Street
5

Continue on NC 242

8.7 mi · 12 min · North Salemburg Highway
6

At end of road, turn left onto US 421; NC 242

4.0 mi · 5 min · Spiveys Corner Highway
7

Turn right onto US 13

1.0 mi · 1 min · Newton Grove Highway
8

Turn left onto Easy Street

4.3 mi · 5 min · Easy Street
9

At end of road, turn left onto NC 55

510 ft · 8 sec · Harnett-Dunn Highway
10

Turn right onto NC 96

5.4 mi · 7 min · NC 96
11

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Use the left lane.
12

Merge onto I 40

20 mi · 21 min · I 40
13

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

22 mi · 25 min · I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary Use the slight right lane.
15

Turn left onto NC 54

2.2 mi · 3 min · Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right onto North Academy Street

24 ft · 0 sec · North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
17

Arrive at destination

North Academy 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 37 miles from Roseboro, NC, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.5 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 16 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 37 miles or 51m 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 19m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Roseboro, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Roseboro, NC

This is one driving day of about 74 miles and 1h 33m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Roseboro, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 42.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 37 mi from Roseboro, NC · 51m into the drive

Downtown Four Oaks, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Four Oaks, NC

37 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

Four Oaks, NC to Cary, NC

40.4 mi · 51m

Pacing Suggestions

Dunn, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dunn, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 37 miles from Roseboro, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cary, NC

The final approach into Cary, 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

Sosta Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Raleigh, North Carolina

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20 mile 63.4

Hours: 8 am–8 pm

+19198331006

Visit website

Pam's Farmhouse Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Raleigh, North Carolina

2.1 mi

Chanticleer Cafe & Bakery

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Cary, North Carolina

2.3 mi

Sosta Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20 mile 63.4

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–8 pm

+19198331006

Visit website

Pam's Farmhouse Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 68.7

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+19198599990

Visit website

Chanticleer Cafe & Bakery

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 68.7

Cary, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+19197814810

Visit website

Lake Johnson Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 68.7

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–7 pm

+19199963141

Visit website

Nature Research Center

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 63.4

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19197079800

Visit website

Lake Benson Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 58.1

Garner, North Carolina

+19197734442

Visit website

Lake Crabtree County Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 74

Morrisville, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–8:30 pm

+19194603390

Visit website

Hubb's Farm NC

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 10.6

Clinton, NC

+19105646709

Visit website

Game On Escapes & More - Cary

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 74

Cary, North Carolina

Hours: 10:30 am–10:30 pm

+19194380798

Visit website

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~11 min detour

4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour mile 63.4

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 12–8 pm

+19199484450

Visit website

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.57 one way

$23.14 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $12.65 $25.31
premium $4.70 $13.70 $27.39
diesel $5.61 $16.34 $32.68

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22.2 0 $7.77 $3.55
Efficient EV 18.5 0 $6.48 $2.96
EV Truck/SUV 29.6 0 $10.36 $4.74

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (65% 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

Roseboro, NC

Evening in Roseboro on Friday

Local time

6:12 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cary, NC

Evening in Cary on Friday

Local time

6:12 PM

EDT

Current temp

89°F

Sunny

NW 3 to 8 mph 1% chance 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

39 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

1h 33m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Roseboro, NC to Cary, NC covers 74 miles and takes about 1h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 40, North Salemburg Highway, NC 96. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 37 miles from Roseboro, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.57 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 74 miles you will encounter 11 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 28.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 49.3 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Roseboro, NC to Cary, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Cary, NC

Waynesville, NC 269.9 mi · 5h 18m West Canton, NC 261.4 mi · 5h 8m Forest City, NC 220.4 mi · 4h 21m Kill Devil Hills, NC 211.6 mi · 4h 18m

More trips to Cary, NC

Bryson City, NC 303.8 mi Clyde, NC 264.3 mi West Canton, NC 259 mi Barker Heights, NC 256.1 mi Mountain Home, NC 252.5 mi Bent Creek, NC 247.7 mi
Scenic drives in NC

Explore more options from Roseboro, NC or browse trips ending in Cary, NC.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.