Origin
Winston-Salem, NC
Evening in Winston-Salem on Sunday
Local time
7:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winston-Salem, NC to Bryson City, NC
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
207.4 mi
334 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$33
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 55m
★
6 AM
4h 8m
8 AM
4h 34m
10 AM
4h 17m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 33m
8 PM
4h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bryson City, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Bryson City, NC covers 207.4 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West 1st Street, Marshall Street South, US 158 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
103.7 miles from Winston-Salem, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 3m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 7m drive with frequent turns across 207.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West 1st Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Bryson City, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 1st Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Marshall Street South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 158 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Salem Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 40 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 40 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 74 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Great Smoky Mountains Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
West 1st Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem, NC and Bryson City, NC.
1
Start on North Main Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto West 1st Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West 1st Street
3
Turn left onto Marshall Street South
302 ft
·
5 sec
·
Marshall Street South
4
Take the ramp slight right toward US 158 West, US 421 North, NC 150 West
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
US 158 West, US 421 North, NC 150 West
5
Merge slight left onto Salem Parkway
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Salem Parkway
6
Take the exit slight left toward I 40: Greensboro, Statesville
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
·
I 40: Greensboro, Statesville
7
Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Statesville
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 40 West: Statesville
8
Merge slight left
134 mi
·
2 hr 32 min
9
Keep slight left
25 mi
·
31 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 74 West: Clyde, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Franklin, Murphy, Atlanta
22 mi
·
29 min
·
US 74 West: Clyde, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Franklin, Murphy, Atlanta
11
Keep slight left to continue on Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
18 mi
·
22 min
·
Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
12
Take the exit slight right toward US 19 CONN: Bryson City
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
US 19 CONN: Bryson City
13
Keep slight right to continue on US 19 CONN: Bryson City
374 ft
·
9 sec
·
US 19 CONN: Bryson City
14
Turn straight onto Veterans Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Boulevard
15
Continue on Highway 19 South
371 ft
·
8 sec
·
Highway 19 South
16
Continue on Slope Street
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
Slope Street
17
Turn right onto Bryson Avenue
449 ft
·
25 sec
·
Bryson Avenue
18
Turn left
62 ft
·
5 sec
19
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 103.7 miles from Winston-Salem, NC, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.7 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bryson City, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC
This is one driving day of about 207.4 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Winston-Salem, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 103.7 mi from Winston-Salem, NC · 2h 3m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
104 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 103.7 miles from Winston-Salem, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bryson City, NC
The final approach into Bryson City, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Bryson City, NC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.19 one way
$66.38 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
73 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $36.16 | $72.33 |
| premium | $4.78 | $39.01 | $78.03 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $46.08 | $92.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 62.2 | 0 | $21.78 | $9.96 |
| Efficient EV | 51.9 | 0 | $18.15 | $8.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 83 | 1 | $29.04 | $13.27 |
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Destination
Bryson City, NC
Evening in Bryson City on Sunday
Local time
7:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
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
35 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
4h 7m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Bryson City, NC covers 207.4 miles and takes about 4h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West 1st Street, Marshall Street South, US 158 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 103.7 miles from Winston-Salem, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.19 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Bryson City, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Winston-Salem, NC to Bryson City, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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