Origin
Rowan, NC
Afternoon in Rowan on Saturday
Local time
1:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rowan, NC to Bladenboro, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rowan, NC
Lisa from Pexels
Bladenboro, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Rowan, NC to Bladenboro, NC covers 40.9 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NC 87, NC 242, NC 53 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.2 miles on NC 87. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 87 | 17.2 mi | 22m |
| NC 242 | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| NC 53 | 5 mi | 6m |
| NC 210 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Elwell Ferry Road | 3.8 mi | 9m |
| Martin Luther King Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Elwell Ferry | <0.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 87
— 17.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rowan, NC and Bladenboro, NC.
1
Start on NC 210
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
NC 210
2
At end of road, turn right onto NC 53
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
NC 53
3
Turn left onto Elwell Ferry Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Elwell Ferry Road
4
Continue on Elwell Ferry
416 ft
·
1 min
·
Elwell Ferry
5
Continue on SR 1730
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Elwell Ferry Road
6
Turn right onto NC 87
17 mi
·
22 min
·
NC 87
7
Take the exit
315 ft
·
8 sec
8
Continue on Martin Luther King Drive
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Martin Luther King Drive
9
At end of road, turn right onto NC 242
10 mi
·
14 min
·
NC 242
10
At end of road, turn left onto NC 131; NC 242; NC 410
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Main Street
11
Turn left
101 ft
·
7 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Rowan, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 40.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
NC 53
At end of road, turn right onto NC 53
Navigation decision point
4
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Elwell Ferry Road
Turn left onto Elwell Ferry Road
Navigation decision point
4
30.4 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
NC 242
At end of road, turn right onto NC 242
Navigation decision point
4
40.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
NC 131; NC 242; NC 410 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto NC 131; NC 242; NC 410 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
40.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.40 one way
$12.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.99 | $13.99 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.57 | $15.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Bladenboro, NC
Afternoon in Bladenboro on Saturday
Local time
1:35 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
9 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 3m 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?
40.9 mi in 1h 3m, mostly highway — 17.2 mi of that is on NC 87.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.2 mi on NC 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 87 and NC 242. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in near NC 53.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rowan, NC to Bladenboro, NC is easy. At 1h 3m with 89% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles (NC 53): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (Elwell Ferry Road): Navigation decision point; at 30.4 miles (NC 242): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.2 miles on NC 87. 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 3.9 miles (NC 53): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (Elwell Ferry Road): Navigation decision point; at 30.4 miles (NC 242): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bladenboro, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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