The drive from Silver Lake, NC to Fayetteville, NC covers 94.7 miles and takes about 2h 13m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NC 87, Andrew Jackson Highway, Carolina Beach Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 70.3 miles on NC 87.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.81 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
47.3 miles from Silver Lake, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 94.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 13m highway drive covering 94.7 miles, with most of the trip on NC 87 and Andrew Jackson Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 70.3 miles on NC 87.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NC 87 is the longest continuous segment at about 70.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 87 and Andrew Jackson Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Cornus Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 13m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Cornus Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Carya Drive): Navigation decision point; at 23.1 miles (NC 87): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Cornus Drive
Turn left onto Cornus Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Carya Drive
Turn left onto Carya Drive
Navigation decision point
5
23.1 mi into trip|~36m in|NC 87
Take the exit onto NC 87
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
93.6 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|Gillespie Street
Turn left onto Gillespie Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
94.6 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|Market Square
Enter roundabout onto Market Square
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NC 87
70.3 mi
1h 35m
Andrew Jackson Highway
13.6 mi
18m
Carolina Beach Road
4.4 mi
8m
Ocean Highway East
2.8 mi
3m
Gillespie Street
1 mi
1m
South Front Street
1 mi
1m
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
0.6 mi
<1m
Silver Terra Drive
0.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
NC 87
— 70.3 mi, about 1h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Silver Lake, NC and Fayetteville, NC.
1
Start on Yulan Drive
33 ft·6 sec·Yulan Drive
2
Turn left onto Cornus Drive
0.2 mi·50 sec·Cornus Drive
3
Turn left onto Carya Drive
439 ft·20 sec·Carya Drive
4
Turn right onto Ilex Drive
513 ft·27 sec·Ilex Drive
5
Turn left onto Silver Terra Drive
0.3 mi·1 min·Silver Terra Drive
6
Turn left onto US 421
4.4 mi·8 min·Carolina Beach Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 421 Truck
1.0 mi·1 min·South Front Street
8
Take the ramp onto US 421 Truck
0.2 mi·20 sec·US 421 Truck
9
Merge onto US 17; US 76; US 421
0.6 mi·57 sec·Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
10
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
2.8 mi·3 min·Ocean Highway East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 74; US 76
14 mi·18 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Take the exit onto NC 87
70 mi·1 hr 35 min·NC 87
Use the left lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
14
Turn left onto Gillespie Street
1.0 mi·1 min·Gillespie Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Enter roundabout onto Market Square
253 ft·4 sec·Market Square
16
Arrive at destination
Market Square
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 47.3 miles from Silver Lake, NC, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.3 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 21 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.3 miles or 1h 8m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fayetteville, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Silver Lake, 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 Silver Lake, NC
This is one driving day of about 94.7 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Silver Lake, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NC 87 for about 70.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 47.3 mi from Silver Lake, NC
· 1h 8m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 26.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.81 one way
$29.62 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$16.19
$32.38
premium
$4.70
$17.53
$35.05
diesel
$5.61
$20.91
$41.82
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.4
0
$9.94
$4.55
Efficient EV
23.7
0
$8.29
$3.79
EV Truck/SUV
37.9
0
$13.26
$6.06
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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
Silver Lake, NC
Late night
in Silver Lake on Saturday
Local time
2:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fayetteville, NC
Late night
in Fayetteville on Saturday
Local time
2:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Elizabethtown, NC
47 mi in
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
3 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
2h 13m 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 Silver Lake, NC to Fayetteville, NC covers 94.7 miles and takes about 2h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NC 87, Andrew Jackson Highway, Carolina Beach Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 47.3 miles from Silver Lake, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.81 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 is a straightforward 2h 13m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Cornus Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Carya Drive): Navigation decision point; at 23.1 miles (NC 87): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Silver Lake, NC to Fayetteville, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Moores Creek National Battlefield.
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.
