Origin
Charlotte, NC
Late night in Charlotte on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlotte, NC to Southmont, 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
1h 17m
Distance
60.7 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Southmont, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
This 60.7-mile drive from Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC takes approximately 1 hour and 17 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's a straightforward journey within the Southeast region, staying entirely within North Carolina. You'll navigate primarily on Julius Chambers Highway and Linwood-Southmont Road, with a small portion on South Tryon Street. Expect a fuel cost of around $9 for this relatively short distance. The overall feel is that of a local drive, offering a glimpse into the communities along the way without extensive highway time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Chambers Highway | 45.4 mi | 51m |
| Linwood-Southmont Road | 7.5 mi | 12m |
| South Tryon Street | 3.5 mi | 7m |
| West Sugar Creek Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I 85 | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| Old Linwood Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Hargrave Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Holloway Church Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Julius Chambers Highway
— 45.4 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlotte, NC and Southmont, NC.
1
Start on South Tryon Street
3.5 mi
·
7 min
·
South Tryon Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Sugar Creek Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 85 North: Concord
4
Merge onto I 85
45 mi
·
51 min
·
Julius Chambers Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
0.9 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 85
Toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 88
Toward NC 47 West, NC 47 East: Hargrave Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto NC 47
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Hargrave Road
8
Continue on NC 47
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Linwood Road
9
Continue on NC 47
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Linwood-Southmont Road
10
Keep slight left at fork onto Linwood-Southmont Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Linwood-Southmont Road
11
Turn left onto West Holloway Church Road
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Holloway Church Road
12
Turn left onto NC 8
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
NC 8
13
Arrive at destination
NC 8
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Charlotte, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 51.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
West Sugar Creek Road
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 85 North: Concord
Navigation decision point
Toward I 85 North: Concord
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway
Merge onto I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85 toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
8
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward NC 47 West, NC 47 East: Hargrave Road
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 88
Toward NC 47 West, NC 47 East: Hargrave Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.49 one way
$18.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.38 | $20.76 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.23 | $22.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.40 | $26.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.50 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Southmont, NC
Late night in Southmont on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°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
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
1h 17m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments rather than settling into a long, steady pace. With a highway share of only 1%, most of your time will be spent on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 45.4 miles on Julius Chambers Highway, offering a brief period of consistent travel before transitioning to more varied road conditions. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be more engaged with the immediate surroundings, navigating through towns and less-trafficked areas.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.4 mi on Julius Chambers Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near West Sugar Creek 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 60.7 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 3.5 miles (West Sugar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles (I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Charlotte, NC to Southmont, NC, road signs begin pointing toward High Point along the way.
High Point
50.5 mi in
|
~1h 1m
|
via I 85
About the Cities
Starting in Charlotte, NC
Full guide →“Hornet's Nest” · Founded 1768
Charlotte is an ambitious and rapidly growing city in the southern part of the Piedmont of North Carolina. It is also developing its fledgling tourist industry; its central core is one of the most visitor-friendly districts in the Carolinas. Charlotte's most popular attractions include the Carolina Panthers (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Billy Graham Library, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History, Carowinds amusement park, and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
Top landmarks
- • Carowinds — amusement park in North and South Carolina
- • Dilworth — neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- • Elizabeth — neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
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 1h 17m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.4 miles on Julius Chambers Highway. 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 Southmont, 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 3.5 miles (West Sugar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles (I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway): 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 Southmont, 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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