Origin
Winston-Salem, NC
Late night in Winston-Salem on Saturday
Local time
2:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winston-Salem, NC to Pleasant Hill, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
53.5 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pleasant Hill, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Pleasant Hill, NC covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 421, Salem Parkway, State Highway 49 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26 miles on US 421. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 53.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 10m highway drive covering 53.5 miles, with most of the trip on US 421 and Salem Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 26 miles on US 421.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 421 is the longest continuous segment at about 26 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 421 and Salem Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.1 miles (US 421; NC 150 / Salem Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles (US 421): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 421; NC 150 / Salem Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 421; NC 150 / Salem Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
19.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 421
Keep slight left at fork onto US 421 toward I 73 South, US 421 South: Asheboro, Durham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 73 South, US 421 South: Asheboro, Durh...
7
31.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
US 421
Take the exit onto US 421 toward US 421: Sanford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 126
Toward US 421: Sanford
8
31.6 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
US 421
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421 toward US 421 South: Sanford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 126A
Toward US 421 South: Sanford
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Pleasant Hill, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Durham along the way.
Durham
19.1 mi in
|
~23m
|
via US 421
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 421 | 26 mi | 31m |
| Salem Parkway | 18.4 mi | 21m |
| State Highway 49 | 3 mi | 4m |
| Pleasant Hill Liberty Road | 2.1 mi | 5m |
| West Swannanoa Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Old Liberty Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Pleasant Hill Church Road | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
US 421
— 26 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem, NC and Pleasant Hill, NC.
1
Start on North Main Street
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East
3
Merge onto US 421; US 158; NC 150
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Salem Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto US 421; NC 150
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Salem Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 421
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 421
Toward I 73 South, US 421 South: Asheboro, Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto US 421
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 421
Exit 126
Toward US 421: Sanford
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421
14 mi
·
17 min
·
US 421
Exit 126A
Toward US 421 South: Sanford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
9
Turn left onto Old Liberty Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Liberty Road
10
Continue on West Swannanoa Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Swannanoa Avenue
11
Continue on NC 49
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 49
12
Turn right onto Pleasant Hill Liberty Road
2.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Pleasant Hill Liberty Road
13
At end of road, turn left onto Pleasant Hill Church Road
49 ft
·
0 sec
·
Pleasant Hill Church Road
14
Arrive at destination
Pleasant Hill Church Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.8 mi from Winston-Salem, NC · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Winston-Salem, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Pleasant Hill, NC
The final approach into Pleasant Hill, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.37 one way
$16.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.15 | $18.30 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.90 | $19.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.81 | $23.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.62 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.49 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Pleasant Hill, NC
Late night in Pleasant Hill on Saturday
Local time
2:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
6 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
1h 10m 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 Pleasant Hill, NC covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 421, Salem Parkway, State Highway 49. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.8 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 $8.37 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 53.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.1 miles (US 421; NC 150 / Salem Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles (US 421): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Pleasant Hill, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Durham along the way.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Explore more options from Winston-Salem, NC or browse trips ending in Pleasant Hill, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.