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Trip from Black Mountain, NC to Highland Gate, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

20m

Distance

14.8 mi

24 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 19m ★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States

Black Mountain, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Highland Gate, NC, NC

Highland Gate, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

Black Mountain, NC to Highland Gate, NC is 14.8 miles and takes about 20m via I 40, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Southeast region and North Carolina, making it a straightforward drive. Given its brief length, this route is ideal for a quick transfer or a segment of a larger journey. It's mostly highway, so expect efficiency rather than leisurely sightseeing. Plan for a simple, quick trip with minimal planning needed.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 10.3 mi 12m
Billy Graham Freeway 2.8 mi 3m
Broadway Street 0.3 mi <1m
Chunns Cove Road 0.2 mi <1m
Old Chunns Cove Road 0.2 mi <1m
Montreat Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 10.3 mi, about 12m

Traffic on I-240

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 11 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,513 veh/hr typical · worst 3,036

Quietest

2 AM

~64 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

39.3×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 92 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Black Mountain, NC and Highland Gate, NC.

1

Start on this road

73 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto NC 9

199 ft · 10 sec · Montreat Road
3

Continue on NC 9

0.3 mi · 52 sec · Broadway Street
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec
5

Merge onto I 40

10 mi · 12 min · I 40
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 240

2.8 mi · 3 min · Billy Graham Freeway
Toward I 240, US 74A: West Asheville
7

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 58 sec
Toward Chunns Cove Road, Tunnel Road
8

Turn right onto Chunns Cove Road

0.2 mi · 44 sec · Chunns Cove Road
9

Turn left onto Old Chunns Cove Road

201 ft · 8 sec · Old Chunns Cove Road
10

Keep slight left at fork onto Old Chunns Cove Road

0.1 mi · 39 sec · Old Chunns Cove Road
11

Turn right

120 ft · 8 sec
12

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | NC 9 / Montreat Road

Turn right onto NC 9 / Montreat Road

Navigation decision point

6
11 mi into trip | ~13m in | I 240 / Billy Graham Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 240 / Billy Graham Freeway toward I 240, US 74A: West Asheville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 240, US 74A: West Asheville
5
13.8 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward Chunns Cove Road, Tunnel Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Chunns Cove Road, Tunnel Road
5
14.6 mi into trip | ~19m in | Old Chunns Cove Road

Keep slight left at fork onto Old Chunns Cove Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
14.8 mi into trip | ~20m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.27 one way

$4.54 round trip

$3.89/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.27 $2.49 $4.98
premium $4.64 $2.70 $5.40
diesel $5.60 $3.26 $6.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.4 0 $1.55 $0.71
Efficient EV 3.7 0 $1.30 $0.59
EV Truck/SUV 5.9 0 $2.07 $0.95

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Black Mountain, NC

Morning in Black Mountain on Friday

Local time

10:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

88°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

N 2 mph 23% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:17PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:03PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Highland Gate, NC

Morning in Highland Gate on Friday

Local time

10:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

90°F

Sunny

NNW 3 mph 12% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:17PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:03PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

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

2 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

20m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of the journey on major roads like I 40 and Billy Graham Freeway. You'll experience a nearly continuous stretch of 10.3 miles on I 40, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions to Broadway Street as you approach Highland Gate, marking a shift from high-speed travel to a more local road feel. Expect a driving experience dominated by efficient interstate travel.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on I 40.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Billy Graham Freeway. 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 NC 9 / Montreat Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 14.8 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 (NC 9 / Montreat Road): Navigation decision point; at 11 miles (I 240 / Billy Graham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

2,400 ft 2,050 ft

Total Climb

314 ft

Total Descent

450 ft

Highest Point

2,400 ft

Elevation Range

351 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Black Mountain, NC

Full guide →

For Black Mountain in Canberra, see Canberra/Acton Black Mountain is a town in North Carolina.

Top landmarks

  • • Black Mountain College — college in the United States known for its liberal and arts education
  • • Monte Vista Hotel — hotel in Black Mountain, United States of America
  • • Intheoaks — building in Black Mountain, United States of America

Arriving in Highland Gate, NC

Full guide →

Founded 1574

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 20m. Total distance: 14.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

20m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on I 40. 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 Highland Gate, 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: near the start (NC 9 / Montreat Road): Navigation decision point; at 11 miles (I 240 / Billy Graham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland Gate, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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