Origin
Clinton, SC
Late night in Clinton on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clinton, SC to Spartanburg, SC
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
46m
Distance
35.4 mi
57 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clinton, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Spartanburg, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick connection between Clinton and Spartanburg, this 35.4-mile trip is an efficient way to traverse the South Carolina landscape. You can easily complete the drive in about 46 minutes, making it a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. Budgeting roughly $6 for fuel is sufficient for the journey, keeping your travel costs low. Because the route stays entirely within the Southeast region, you will find a familiar atmosphere throughout the transit. It is a straightforward, practical drive that prioritizes speed and convenience over leisurely detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 26 | 23.9 mi | 25m |
| South Church Street | 6 mi | 10m |
| Highway 221 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Highway 56 North | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Musgrove Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| State Highway 56 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Broad Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Carolina Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 23.9 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton, SC and Spartanburg, SC.
1
Start on US 76
37 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Carolina Avenue
2
Turn right onto SC 72 Business
105 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Broad Street
3
Turn right
146 ft
·
8 sec
4
Turn left onto Musgrove Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Musgrove Street
5
Continue on Highway 56 North
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 56 North
6
Continue on SC 56
460 ft
·
12 sec
·
State Highway 56
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
8
Merge onto I 26
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
·
I 26
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26
24 mi
·
25 min
·
I 26
Toward Spartanburg
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 28
Toward US 221: Spartanburg-South, Moore
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto US 221
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 221
12
Continue on US 221
6.0 mi
·
10 min
·
South Church Street
13
Arrive at destination
US 221; SC 56
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.7 miles from Clinton, SC, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.8 — 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
|
SC 72 Business / South Broad Street
Turn right onto SC 72 Business / South Broad Street
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
4
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
7
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26 toward Spartanburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward Spartanburg
8
26.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward US 221: Spartanburg-South, Moore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 28
Toward US 221: Spartanburg-South, Moore
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.54 one way
$11.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.05 | $12.11 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.55 | $13.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.82 | $15.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Spartanburg, SC
Late night in Spartanburg on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
24 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
46m 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 highway-focused experience, as 80% of your travel occurs on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-26, which accounts for a 23.9-mile stretch of the journey, providing the most consistent pace. As you transition from the interstate into the final leg of the trip, the route shifts to South Church Street and Highway 221 to bring you into the city. This mix creates a functional rhythm, moving you quickly through the countryside before navigating local road connections. It is a no-nonsense commute that favors steady movement over complex technical driving.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.9 mi on I 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and South Church Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SC 72 Business / South Broad Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SC 72 Business / South Broad Street): Navigation decision point; near the start: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
805 ft
499 ft
Total Climb
352 ft
Total Descent
223 ft
Highest Point
805 ft
~35.4 mi in
Elevation Range
305 ft
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 Clinton, SC to Spartanburg, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Moore along the way.
Moore
26.8 mi in
|
~31m
About the Cities
Arriving in Spartanburg, SC
Full guide →Spartanburg is both a county and city in Upcountry South Carolina.
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 46m. Total distance: 35.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.9 miles on I 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (SC 72 Business / South Broad Street): Navigation decision point; near the start: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Cowpens National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Spartanburg, SC 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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