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Trip from Cary, NC to Gamewell, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 48m

Distance

183.8 mi

296 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 36m ★
6 AM
3h 48m
8 AM
4h 14m
10 AM
3h 57m
12 PM
3h 55m
3 PM
3h 58m
5 PM
4h 12m
8 PM
3h 41m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Cary, NC, NC

Cary, NC

C k

Downtown Gamewell, NC, NC

Gamewell, NC

C k

Trip Overview

This 183.8-mile journey from Cary, NC to Gamewell, NC is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 48 minutes to complete. The route primarily utilizes the Dan K. Moore Frwy, US 421, and I-40, with about 60% of the drive on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of $29, this trip offers a straightforward drive through the Southeast region of North Carolina. It’s a practical option for a day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

91.9 miles from Cary, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 50m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Dan K. Moore Frwy 59.8 mi 1h 9m
US 421 48.3 mi 55m
I 40 38.2 mi 45m
NC 18 24.3 mi 35m
Morganton Boulevard Southwest 5.2 mi 8m
North Harrison Avenue 3.3 mi 5m
South Cherry Street 3.2 mi 4m
Chapel Hill Road 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Dan K. Moore Frwy — 59.8 mi, about 1h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cary, NC and Gamewell, NC.

1

Start on North Academy Street

24 ft · 5 sec · North Academy Street
2

Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Chapel Hill Road
3

Turn right onto SR 1652

3.3 mi · 5 min · North Harrison Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 41 sec
5

Merge onto I 40

60 mi · 1 hr 9 min · Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

7.7 mi · 9 min · I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220

13 mi · 15 min · I 40; US 220
Use the straight lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

18 mi · 20 min · I 40
Toward I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville Use the slight left lane.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 188 Toward US 421: Salem Parkway, Yadkinville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward US 421 North: Yadkinville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto US 421

48 mi · 55 min · US 421
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward NC 16 South, NC 18: Wilkesboro, Taylorsville, Lenoir
13

Turn right onto NC 18

3.2 mi · 4 min · South Cherry Street
14

Turn right onto NC 18

24 mi · 35 min · NC 18
Use the straight lane.
15

Turn left onto US 64; NC 18

5.2 mi · 8 min · Morganton Boulevard Southwest
16

Turn right onto Gamewell School Road

60 ft · 2 sec · Gamewell School Road
17

Arrive at destination

Gamewell School Road

Trip Plan

Given the 3-hour and 48-minute duration, consider an early morning departure from Cary to maximize your daylight hours and allow for flexibility. While only one stop is indicated, plan for a brief break around the halfway point to stretch your legs and refuel if needed; the estimated fuel cost is $29. Keep an eye on traffic conditions, especially as you approach any major interstate junctions. The longest stretch on the Dan K. Moore Frwy means you can settle in for a good portion of consistent driving.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 91.9 miles from Cary, NC, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.8 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 40 miles or 48m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 91.9 miles or 1h 50m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 59m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gamewell, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cary, 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 Cary, NC

This is one driving day of about 183.8 miles and 3h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Cary, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dan K. Moore Frwy for about 59.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

High Point, NC

92 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

Graham, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Winston-Salem, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 91.9 miles from Cary, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Chanticleer Cafe & Bakery

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.4 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 to $20

Cary, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+19197814810

Visit website

Pam's Farmhouse Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+19198599990

Visit website

Given Coffee Co

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

Halfway reset 4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 6:30 am–12 pm

+13363317291

Visit website

Triangle Coffee House

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~12 min detour

First break 4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10

Durham, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–6 pm

+19842191215

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Mebane, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Nissan Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Burlington, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+13365840201

Visit website

EV Connect Charging Station

3.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

Burlington, North Carolina

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

First break 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Mebane, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 3 mi from route ~8 min detour

Mebane, North Carolina

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

All A Flutter Farms LLC

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour

High Point, North Carolina

+13364545651

Visit website

Lake Crabtree County Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour

Morrisville, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–8:30 pm

+19194603390

Visit website

Game On Escapes & More - Cary

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour

Cary, North Carolina

Hours: 10:30 am–10:30 pm

+19194380798

Visit website

ICY RICH GIRLS MUSEUM

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

Halfway reset 3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Greensboro, North Carolina

Hours: 5–10 pm

+13369474244

Visit website

Alamance County Historical Museum

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

Early stretch 3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Burlington, NC

Hours: 9 am–4 pm

+13362268254

Visit website

Adventure Landing Winston-Salem

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

Halfway reset 3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13367684730

Visit website

Lake Johnson Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~11 min detour

4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 8 am–7 pm

+19199963141

Visit website

Children's Museum of Alamance County

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~11 min detour

Early stretch 4.2 mi from route ~11 min detour

Graham, North Carolina

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13362287997

Visit website

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 63.6 and 102 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
63.6 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in | I 40

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
71.2 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in | I 40; US 220

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
83.8 mi into trip | ~1h 40m in | I 40

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville
8
101.8 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in

Take the exit toward US 421: Salem Parkway, Yadkinville

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 188 Toward US 421: Salem Parkway, Yadkinville
7
102 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 421 North: Yadkinville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 421 North: Yadkinville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$28.74 one way

$57.48 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 64 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $31.43 $62.85
premium $4.70 $34.02 $68.03
diesel $5.61 $40.58 $81.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 64.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 55.1 0 $19.30 $8.82
Efficient EV 46 0 $16.08 $7.35
EV Truck/SUV 73.5 0 $25.73 $11.76

Gas CO2

64 kg

EV CO2

22 kg (66% 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 19, 2026

Origin

Cary, NC

Morning in Cary on Tuesday

Local time

10:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Chance Rain Showers

NW 6 to 18 mph 33% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 19 at 6:07AM EDT until April 19 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 19 at 6:07AM EDT until April 19 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

Destination

Gamewell, NC

Morning in Gamewell on Tuesday

Local time

10:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°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

10 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

3h 48m 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?

You'll experience a mixed drive on this route, with a significant portion on highways. Over half of the 183.8 miles will be on high-speed roads, but expect some shifts in road type as you progress. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 59.8 miles on the Dan K. Moore Frwy. This suggests periods of consistent highway travel interspersed with potentially more varied driving as you transition between major roads like US 421 and I-40.

60% 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: 59.8 mi on Dan K. Moore Frwy.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 63.6 miles in near I 40.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 183.8 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 63.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.2 miles (I 40; US 220): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Cary, NC and Gamewell, NC, road signs point toward Statesville, Yadkinville, Taylorsville and Lenoir.

Statesville

83.8 mi in | ~1h 40m | via I 40

Yadkinville

101.8 mi in | ~2h 1m

Taylorsville

150.9 mi in | ~2h 59m

Lenoir

150.9 mi in | ~2h 59m

About the Cities

Starting 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 3h 48m. Total distance: 183.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 59.8 miles on Dan K. Moore Frwy. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Gamewell, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 63.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.2 miles (I 40; US 220): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Gamewell, NC, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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