This 72.6-mile journey from Anderson County Airport, SC to Cowpens, SC is designed for a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes. You'll primarily navigate along Airport Road and Highway 24, with a stretch on West Whitner Street. With no highway driving and a fuel cost estimated at $12, this route offers a straightforward local experience. The Southeast region provides a familiar backdrop throughout your trip. Given its manageable distance and duration, this drive is perfectly suited for a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
36.3 miles from Anderson County Airport, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 85
62.3 mi
1h 14m
Pearman Dairy Road
3.8 mi
4m
Battleground Road
1.8 mi
3m
Liberty Highway
1.2 mi
2m
Michelin Boulevard
0.7 mi
1m
Airport Road
0.7 mi
1m
Highway 24
0.7 mi
1m
North Main Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 62.3 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Anderson County Airport, SC and Cowpens, SC.
1
Start on this road
293 ft·21 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Airport Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Airport Road
3
Turn right onto SC 24
0.7 mi·1 min·Highway 24
4
Continue on SC 24
0.2 mi·31 sec·West Whitner Street
5
Turn left onto 383
0.7 mi·1 min·Michelin Boulevard
6
Turn right onto Standridge Road
0.1 mi·29 sec·Standridge Road
7
Turn left onto SC 28
3.8 mi·4 min·Pearman Dairy Road
8
Turn left onto US 178
1.2 mi·2 min·Liberty Highway
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
10
Merge onto I 85
48 mi·58 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
15 mi·15 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
13
Turn left onto SC 110
1.8 mi·3 min·Battleground Road
14
Turn straight onto US 29
0.2 mi·37 sec·North Main Street
15
Turn left
102 ft·12 sec
16
Turn left
120 ft·8 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short 1-hour and 32-minute duration, leaving anytime that suits your schedule works well for this 72.6-mile drive. You won't need to split this trip, and with only an estimated $12 fuel cost, budget concerns are minimal. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition between Airport Road and Highway 24, as convenient stops might be less frequent on these local roads. The 'turn-heavy' nature of this route means staying attentive to navigation is key to reaching Cowpens smoothly.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 36.3 miles from Anderson County Airport, SC, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.3 miles.
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 16 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36.3 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cowpens, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Anderson County Airport, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Anderson County Airport, SC
This is one driving day of about 72.6 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Anderson County Airport, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 85 for about 62.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 72.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in|SC 28 / Pearman Dairy Road
Turn left onto SC 28 / Pearman Dairy Road
Navigation decision point
5
7.9 mi into trip|~13m in|I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
55.6 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
72.6 mi into trip|~1h 31m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
72.6 mi into trip|~1h 32m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.35 one way
$22.71 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$12.41
$24.83
premium
$4.70
$13.44
$26.87
diesel
$5.61
$16.03
$32.06
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.8
0
$7.62
$3.48
Efficient EV
18.2
0
$6.35
$2.90
EV Truck/SUV
29
0
$10.16
$4.65
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Anderson County Airport, SC
Morning
in Anderson County Airport on Tuesday
Local time
9:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cowpens, SC
Morning
in Cowpens on Tuesday
Local time
9:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
3 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
1h 32m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this entire 72.6-mile trip, as it features 0% highway. The route is characterized by frequent directional changes rather than long, straight stretches. Since there's no mention of a longest uninterrupted stretch, anticipate a continuous series of turns and road adjustments. This driving profile means you'll be actively engaged with the road from start to finish, making for a dynamic, albeit not high-speed, experience.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 62.3 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Pearman Dairy Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in near SC 28 / Pearman Dairy Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 32m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (SC 28 / Pearman Dairy Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.9 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.6 miles (I 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 72.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 62.3 miles on I 85. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (SC 28 / Pearman Dairy Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.9 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.6 miles (I 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cowpens, SC before heading back.
