Origin
Archer Lodge, NC
Late night in Archer Lodge on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Archer Lodge, NC to Cary, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
30.9 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Archer Lodge, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
This 30.9-mile journey from Archer Lodge to Cary, North Carolina, will take you about 36 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, including Lake Wendell Road and State Road 2508, with no significant highway driving. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $5, reflecting the short distance. Given its brevity and the turn-heavy nature of the local roads, this route offers a straightforward drive through the Southeast region. It's ideal for a quick transfer or a scenic local exploration rather than requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 87 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| Smithfield Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Buffalo Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Lake Wendell Road | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Bissette Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 87
— 9.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Archer Lodge, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on Buffalo Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Buffalo Road
2
Turn left onto Lake Wendell Road
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Wendell Road
3
Continue on State Road 2508
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
State Road 2508
4
Continue on Bissette Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Bissette Road
5
Turn right onto Smithfield Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Smithfield Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Raleigh
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 87; US 64; US 264
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 87; US 64; US 264
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 87; I 440; US 64
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 87; I 440; US 64
9
Merge onto I 40; US 64
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 40; US 64
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
11
Continue on I 40; US 64
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
12
Continue on I 40; US 64
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn left onto NC 54
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto North Academy Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
16
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 28.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Smithfield Road
Turn right onto Smithfield Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
8.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Turn left toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Raleigh
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Ral...
5
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 87; US 64; US 264
Merge onto I 87; US 64; US 264
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
18.3 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge onto I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Cary
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NC 54: Cary
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.83 one way
$9.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.28 | $10.57 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.72 | $11.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.82 | $13.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Cary, NC
Late night in Cary on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
1 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
41m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 30.9-mile excursion, with 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating a series of local roads, likely with frequent turns and intersections, rather than long stretches of high-speed travel. The absence of a 'longest stretch' indicator suggests the drive is broken up by various road segments and junctions throughout its 36-minute duration. This type of route offers a more intimate feel of the local landscape as you transition from Archer Lodge to Cary.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on I 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 87 and Dan K Moore Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near Smithfield Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 30.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.5 miles (Smithfield Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles (I 87; US 64; US 264): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cary, NC
Full guide →Cary is a town in the Research Triangle of North Carolina. It is primarily a fast-growing suburb of Raleigh, the state capital, but has developed some economic gravity of its own. Cary is known throughout the area for having a very high population of non-native residents. The name of the city is jokingly referred to as standing for Containment/Concentration Area for Relocated Yankees.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 30.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on I 87. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cary, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 5.5 miles (Smithfield Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles (I 87; US 64; US 264): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cary, NC before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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