Origin
Winston-Salem, NC
Late night in Winston-Salem on Saturday
Local time
1:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winston-Salem, NC to Mount Airy, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
36.4 mi
59 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 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Airy, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 36.4-mile drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Mount Airy, NC takes about 45 minutes and is perfect for a day trip. With 87% highway share, expect a quick and efficient journey through the Southeast region. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $6, and with no recommended stops, you can easily make this a round trip or a segment of a larger adventure. It's a simple, no-fuss drive ideal for when you want to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 36.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 87% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 29.3 miles on the John Gold Memorial Expressway, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions to South Andy Griffith Parkway and then South Main Street, suggesting a shift from high-speed travel to more local road conditions as you approach your destination. Overall, it’s a predominantly smooth ride that prioritizes getting you there.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John Gold Memorial Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 29.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John Gold Memorial Expressway and South Andy Griffith Parkway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 5th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.4 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Patterson Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 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
|
East 5th Street
Turn right onto East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Patterson Avenue
Turn left onto North Patterson Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward US 52 North, NC 8 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 52 North, NC 8 North
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 52; NC 8 / John Gold Memorial Expressway
Merge onto US 52; NC 8 / John Gold Memorial Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
36.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
East Pine Street
Turn left onto East Pine Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John Gold Memorial Expressway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| South Andy Griffith Parkway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| South Main Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Liberty Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Renfro Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Patterson Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Pine Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John Gold Memorial Expressway
— 29.3 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem, NC and Mount Airy, NC.
1
Start on North Main Street
67 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto East 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East 5th Street
3
Turn left onto North Patterson Avenue
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Patterson Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto North Liberty Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Liberty Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward US 52 North, NC 8 North
6
Merge onto US 52; NC 8
29 mi
·
33 min
·
John Gold Memorial Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Andy Griffith Parkway
8
Turn right onto US 52 Business
324 ft
·
5 sec
·
Charlie Norman Road
9
Continue on US 52 Business
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
10
Continue on US 52 Business; NC 89
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Renfro Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto East Pine Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
East Pine Street
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
West Pine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.2 mi from Winston-Salem, NC · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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
Arriving in Mount Airy, NC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Mount Airy, NC if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.69 one way
$11.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.22 | $12.45 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.74 | $13.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.04 | $16.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Mount Airy, NC
Late night in Mount Airy on Saturday
Local time
1:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°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
30 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
45m 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 Winston-Salem, NC to Mount Airy, NC covers 36.4 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John Gold Memorial Expressway, South Andy Griffith Parkway, South Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.2 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 $5.69 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.4 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Patterson Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Winston-Salem, NC to Mount Airy, 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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