Origin
Union, NC
Morning in Union on Saturday
Local time
11:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, NC to Rutherfordton, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
11m
Distance
5.2 mi
8 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 10m
★
6 AM
0h 11m
8 AM
0h 13m
10 AM
0h 12m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 12m
5 PM
0h 13m
8 PM
0h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NC
Clip It Comunicación
Rutherfordton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Union, NC to Rutherfordton, NC covers 5.2 miles and takes about 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Coxe Road, South Main Street, Baber Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.3 miles on Coxe Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $0.81 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 11m. Total distance: 5.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 11m drive with frequent turns across 5.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 5 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Coxe Road is the longest continuous segment at about 2.3 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Baber Road.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Union, NC to Rutherfordton, NC is easy. At 11m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Baber Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.8 miles (Coxe Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (US 221; US 74 Business / South Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
3 of 3 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Baber Road
Turn sharp right onto Baber Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Coxe Road
Turn left onto Coxe Road
Navigation decision point
3
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 221; US 74 Business / South Main Street
Turn left onto US 221; US 74 Business / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Coxe Road | 2.3 mi | 5m |
| South Main Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Baber Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Union Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Coxe Road
— 2.3 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NC and Rutherfordton, NC.
1
Start on Union Road
59 ft
·
8 sec
·
Union Road
2
Turn sharp right onto Baber Road
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Baber Road
3
Turn left onto Coxe Road
2.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Coxe Road
4
Turn left onto US 221; US 74 Business
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
5
Arrive at destination
US 221
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$0.81 one way
$1.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $0.89 | $1.78 |
| premium | $4.70 | $0.96 | $1.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.15 | $2.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 1.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.6 | 0 | $0.55 | $0.25 |
| Efficient EV | 1.3 | 0 | $0.45 | $0.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.73 | $0.33 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Rutherfordton, NC
Morning in Rutherfordton on Saturday
Local time
11:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
10 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
11m 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 Rutherfordton, NC covers 5.2 miles and takes about 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Coxe Road, South Main Street, Baber Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 2.6 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 $0.81 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.
The drive from Union, NC to Rutherfordton, NC is easy. At 11m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Baber Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.8 miles (Coxe Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (US 221; US 74 Business / South Main Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Union, NC to Rutherfordton, 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.
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