Origin
Union, NC
Morning in Union on Saturday
Local time
9:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, NC to Lake Lure, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
22 mi
35 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NC
Clip It Comunicación
Lake Lure, NC
Niki Clark
Trip Overview
The drive from Union, NC to Lake Lure, NC covers 22 miles and takes about 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NC 9, Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway, Union Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12 miles on NC 9. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.44 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 22 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Union, NC to Lake Lure, NC covers 22 miles and takes about 35m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 7 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NC 9 is the longest continuous segment at about 12 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,130 ft
801 ft
Total Climb
529 ft
Total Descent
303 ft
Highest Point
1,130 ft
~18.9 mi in
Elevation Range
329 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Union, NC to Lake Lure, NC is easy. At 35m with 54% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (US 74 / Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
2.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 74 / Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway
Merge onto US 74 / Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
8.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward NC 9: Mill Spring, New Prospect, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NC 9: Mill Spring, New Prospect, Lake Lu...
4
20.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 64; US 74A; NC 9 / Memorial Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 64; US 74A; NC 9 / Memorial Highway
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Union, NC and Lake Lure, NC, road signs point toward New Prospect and Chimney Rock.
New Prospect
8.3 mi in
|
~12m
Chimney Rock
8.3 mi in
|
~12m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 9 | 12 mi | 19m |
| Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Union Road | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Memorial Highway | 1.4 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
NC 9
— 12 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NC and Lake Lure, NC.
1
Start on Union Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Union Road
2
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
3
Merge onto US 74
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward NC 9: Mill Spring, New Prospect, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock
5
Turn right onto NC 9
12 mi
·
19 min
·
NC 9
6
At end of road, turn left onto US 64; US 74A; NC 9
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Memorial Highway
7
Arrive at destination
US 64; US 74A; NC 9
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.44 one way
$6.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.76 | $7.52 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Lake Lure, NC
Morning in Lake Lure on Saturday
Local time
9:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
37 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
35m 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 Union, NC to Lake Lure, NC covers 22 miles and takes about 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NC 9, Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway, Union Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11 miles from Union, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.44 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.
The drive from Union, NC to Lake Lure, NC is easy. At 35m with 54% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (US 74 / Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Union, NC and Lake Lure, NC, road signs point toward New Prospect and Chimney Rock.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 801 ft to 1,130 ft elevation with about 529 ft of total climbing.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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