This 116-mile drive from Burlington to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, is a straightforward local journey that can easily be completed in under 2 hours, making it a perfect day trip. With an estimated fuel cost of $19, it's an economical option for getting between these two Southeast region towns. The route sticks to local roads, indicated by the 0% highway share, suggesting a more connected-to-the-ground experience. Given its short duration and lack of overnight requirements, you'll find plenty of flexibility in planning your departure and arrival times.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.1 miles from Burlington, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 64
33.3 mi
36m
I 40
30.3 mi
34m
I 87
16.8 mi
17m
Sam Hunt Freeway
14.3 mi
16m
I 440
9.2 mi
11m
Wade Avenue
3.1 mi
3m
West Webb Avenue
2.1 mi
2m
Atlantic Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 64
— 33.3 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, NC and Rocky Mount, NC.
1
Start on US 70; NC 62
192 ft·8 sec·South Church Street
2
Turn right onto NC 87; NC 100
2.1 mi·2 min·West Webb Avenue
3
Continue on NC 87
0.3 mi·27 sec·West Elm Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87
0.9 mi·1 min·West Harden Street
Use the left lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto NC 54
78 ft·1 sec·East Harden Street
6
Continue on NC 54
0.8 mi·1 min·East Harden Street
7
Turn left
0.2 mi·31 sec
8
Merge onto I 40; I 85
14 mi·16 min·Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
30 mi·34 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: RaleighUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728
3.1 mi·3 min·Wade Avenue
Exit 289Toward Wade AvenueUse the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 440 East, US 1 North: Wake Forest
12
Merge onto I 440; US 1
9.2 mi·11 min·I 440; US 1
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi·57 sec
Toward I 87 North, US 64 East, US 264 East: Rocky Mount, Wilson, GreenvilleUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 87; US 64; US 264
17 mi·17 min·I 87; US 64; US 264
15
Keep slight left at fork onto US 64
33 mi·36 min·US 64
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
17
Turn left onto NC 97
1.2 mi·2 min·Atlantic Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto US 64 BUS
0.2 mi·18 sec·Tarboro Street
19
Turn slight right onto Cokey Road
223 ft·5 sec·Cokey Road
20
Arrive at destination
Cokey Road
Trip Plan
For this 1-day, 116-mile trip, you have the advantage of flexibility. Aim to leave Burlington in the morning to maximize your daylight hours in Rocky Mount, keeping in mind the 1 hour and 53 minute estimated travel time. Since there are no designated stops in the data, plan to refuel your vehicle before you depart to ensure you have enough for the $19 fuel cost. Pay close attention to local speed limits and traffic signals, as this route involves numerous turns and is primarily on local roads.
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 57.1 miles from Burlington, NC, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.3 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.1 miles or 1h 8m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rocky Mount, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burlington, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Burlington, NC
This is one driving day of about 114.2 miles and 2h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Burlington, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 64 for about 33.3 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 61.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.4 mi into trip|~3m in|NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip|~4m in|NC 54 / East Harden Street
Enter roundabout onto NC 54 / East Harden Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
18.6 mi into trip|~23m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Raleigh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 40 East: Raleigh
8
48.9 mi into trip|~58m in|SR 1728 / Wade Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728 / Wade Avenue toward Wade Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 289
Toward Wade Avenue
7
61.7 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 87 North, US 64 East, US 264 East: Rocky Mount, Wilson, Greenville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 87 North, US 64 East, US 264 East: Roc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.86 one way
$35.72 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$19.53
$39.05
premium
$4.70
$21.14
$42.27
diesel
$5.61
$25.21
$50.43
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.3
0
$11.99
$5.48
Efficient EV
28.6
0
$9.99
$4.57
EV Truck/SUV
45.7
0
$15.99
$7.31
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 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 20, 2026
Origin
Burlington, NC
Late night
in Burlington on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Rocky Mount, NC
Late night
in Rocky Mount on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Sunny
NW 13 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:39PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:01PM EDT until April 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Raleigh NC
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
9 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
2h 12m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 116-mile trip, as it features a 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating through towns and communities for the full 1 hour and 53 minutes. Since there's no longest stretch data available, anticipate frequent intersections and changes in speed limits. The roads mentioned, West Webb Avenue, West Elm Street, and West Harden Street, are indicative of a route that keeps you closely connected to the local landscape rather than a high-speed transit.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.3 mi on US 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 64 and I 40. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 114.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Burlington, NC and Rocky Mount, NC, road signs point toward Wilson and Greenville.
Rocky Mount is a city in North Carolina. Its dawning days were more or less centered around cotton mills in the early 19th century, though it was settled as early as the 1700s by Europeans. Eventually tobacco became the prized crop and warehouses and rail stations sprung up to export this commodity. Rocky Mount, though with a reputation tarnished somewhat by crime and urban decay, is the birthplace of Mike Tyson and Hardee's fast food restaurants and where Jim Thorpe debuted with the Rocky Mountain Railroaders and Jack Kerouac wrote parts of "The Dharma Bums" during his visits there.
Top landmarks
•Rocky Mount Mills — Historic property in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 12m. Total distance: 114.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.3 miles on US 64. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Rocky Mount, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.6 miles (I 40): 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 Rocky Mount, NC before heading back.
