Origin
Concord, NC
Morning in Concord on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Concord, NC to Rural Hall, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
68.9 mi
111 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Concord, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Rural Hall, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Concord, NC to Rural Hall, NC covers 68.9 miles and takes about 1h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 285, US 601, I 85 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.4 miles on I 285. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 285 | 32.4 mi | 37m |
| US 601 | 25.3 mi | 28m |
| I 85 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| University Parkway | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Church Street Northeast | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Broad Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Concord Parkway North | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Cabarrus Avenue West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 285
— 32.4 mi, about 37m
Traffic on I-85
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,849 veh/hr typical · worst 4,692
Quietest
2 AM
~390 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 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 Concord, NC and Rural Hall, NC.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
409 ft
·
17 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto NC 73
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Church Street Northeast
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto US 29; US 601
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Concord Parkway North
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the exit onto US 601
25 mi
·
28 min
·
US 601
Toward I 85 North, US 601 North: Greensboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 85; US 29; US 52; US 70
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 85; US 29; US 52; US 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Lexington, Winston-Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 285; US 52
28 mi
·
33 min
·
I 285; US 52
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Winston-Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Rural Hall, Stanleyville
10
Turn slight right onto University Parkway
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
University Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on NC 66
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Broad Street
12
Turn left onto NC 65
107 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bethania Rural Hall Road
13
Arrive at destination
NC 65
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.5 miles from Concord, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 36.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cabarrus Avenue West
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 73 / Church Street Northeast
Turn left onto NC 73 / Church Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 601
Take the exit onto US 601 toward I 85 North, US 601 North: Greensboro
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.
Toward I 85 North, US 601 North: Greensboro
8
32.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
Keep slight right at fork onto I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70 toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Lexington, Winston-Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Lexington, Win...
8
36.2 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
I 285; US 52
Keep slight left at fork onto I 285; US 52 toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Winston-Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Winston-Salem
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.56 one way
$21.11 round trip
$3.89/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $11.59 | $23.17 |
| premium | $4.64 | $12.58 | $25.16 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $15.19 | $30.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.23 | $3.31 |
| Efficient EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.6 | 0 | $9.65 | $4.41 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Rural Hall, NC
Morning in Rural Hall on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
65°F
Lexington, NC
34 mi in
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
19 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 25m 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?
68.9 mi in 1h 25m, mostly highway — 32.4 mi of that is on I 285.
94% 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: 32.4 mi on I 285.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 285 and US 601. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cabarrus Avenue West.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (NC 73 / Church Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (US 601): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,010 ft
651 ft
Total Climb
578 ft
Total Descent
252 ft
Highest Point
1,010 ft
~68.9 mi in
Elevation Range
360 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.
Between Concord, NC and Rural Hall, NC, road signs point toward Winston-Salem and Stanleyville.
Winston-Salem
32.1 mi in
|
~39m
|
via I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
Stanleyville
64.5 mi in
|
~1h 17m
About the Cities
Starting in Concord, NC
Full guide →Founded 1796
Concord is a city in North Carolina and fast-growing bedroom community of the major city of Charlotte. In 2020, the population was around 107,000, making it the second largest city of the Charlotte Metro.
Top landmarks
- • Barber–Scotia College — historically black college in Concord, North Carolina
Arriving in Rural Hall, NC
Full guide →Founded 1887
Top landmarks
- • Rural Hall Depot — railway station in Rural Hall, the United States of America
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 25m. Total distance: 68.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.4 miles on I 285. 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 Rural Hall, 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 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (NC 73 / Church Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (US 601): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rural Hall, 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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