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Trip from Concord, NC to Southmont, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

56m

Distance

42.2 mi

68 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 52m ★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m

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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city in North Carolina, United States

Concord, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Southmont, NC, NC

Southmont, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

This straightforward 42.2-mile drive from Concord, NC, to Southmont, NC, will take you about 56 minutes to complete. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, easily manageable within a single day without needing an overnight stop. You'll primarily be on US 601, with some time on Linwood-Southmont Road and I-85, making for a largely highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of just $7, this is a budget-friendly excursion within the Southeast region. This route offers a simple and efficient way to travel between these two North Carolina towns.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 601 25.3 mi 28m
Linwood-Southmont Road 7.5 mi 12m
I 85 4.7 mi 4m
Church Street Northeast 2.2 mi 4m
Old Linwood Road 0.9 mi 1m
Concord Parkway North 0.6 mi 1m
Hargrave Road 0.5 mi <1m
Cabarrus Avenue West 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 601 — 25.3 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Concord, NC and Southmont, 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 left at fork onto I 85

0.9 mi · 56 sec · I 85
Toward I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point
8

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.
9

Turn right onto NC 47

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Hargrave Road
10

Continue on NC 47

0.9 mi · 1 min · Old Linwood Road
11

Continue on NC 47

3.9 mi · 5 min · Linwood-Southmont Road
12

Keep slight left at fork onto Linwood-Southmont Road

3.7 mi · 6 min · Linwood-Southmont Road
13

Turn left onto West Holloway Church Road

0.1 mi · 34 sec · West Holloway Church Road
14

Turn left onto NC 8

65 ft · 1 sec · NC 8
15

Arrive at destination

NC 8

Where to Stop

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

Downtown East Spencer, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

East Spencer, NC

21 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

Lexington, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

East Spencer, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.1 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 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 33 — 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
6
32.1 mi into trip | ~39m 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
33 mi into trip | ~40m 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

$6.60 one way

$13.20 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $7.22 $14.43
premium $4.70 $7.81 $15.62
diesel $5.61 $9.32 $18.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 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 12.7 0 $4.43 $2.03
Efficient EV 10.6 0 $3.69 $1.69
EV Truck/SUV 16.9 0 $5.91 $2.70

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Concord, NC

Late night in Concord on Sunday

Local time

12:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Mostly Clear

SW 2 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 17 at 11:32AM EDT until April 17 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Southmont, NC

Late night in Southmont on Sunday

Local time

12:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

13 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

56m 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?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 72% of the journey utilizing faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 25.3 miles along US 601, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your trip. While I-85 provides interstate speeds, the route also incorporates local roads like Linwood-Southmont Road, suggesting a transition between quicker travel and more community-oriented stretches. This blend means you'll experience varying road personalities, from open highway cruising to more direct, local connections as you approach your destination.

72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.3 mi on US 601.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 601 and Linwood-Southmont Road. 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 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 42.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.

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.

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 Concord, NC to Southmont, NC, road signs begin pointing toward High Point along the way.

High Point

32.1 mi in | ~39m | via I 85

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 42.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 25.3 miles on US 601. 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 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 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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