Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
36.3 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Durham, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Glen Raven, NC
Mark Stebnicki
The drive from Durham, NC to Glen Raven, NC covers 36.3 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, Durham Freeway, NC 87 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.9 miles on I 85. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 23.9 mi | 27m |
| Durham Freeway | 5 mi | 6m |
| NC 87 | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| East Harden Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| South Mangum Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Jackie Robinson Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,920 veh/hr typical · worst 5,910
Quietest
2 AM
~460 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Durham, NC and Glen Raven, NC.
Start on East Main Street
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
Turn right onto Jackie Robinson Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto NC 147
Merge onto I 85; US 70
Take the exit
Turn right onto NC 54
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54
Continue on NC 49; NC 54
Take the exit onto NC 87
Turn left
Arrive at destination
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.
A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.2 miles from Durham, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 30.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 85; US 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$5.56 one way
$11.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $6.10 | $12.21 |
| premium | $4.64 | $6.63 | $13.25 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.00 | $16.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Durham on Wednesday
Local time
10:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Glen Raven on Wednesday
Local time
10:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
36.3 mi in 45m, mostly highway — 23.9 mi of that is on I 85.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Durham Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street.
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 36.3 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 (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles (I 85; US 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
561 ft
Total Descent
265 ft
Highest Point
698 ft
~36.3 mi in
Elevation Range
307 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Durham, NC to Glen Raven, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Chapel Hill along the way.
Chapel Hill
Founded 1869
Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the one with the grittier, more working-class image. A city of just over 300,000 residents in 2026, Durham has moved beyond a "tobacco town" with a prestigious university at its center to become a regionally and nationally recognized symbol of urban renewal, gentrification, technology and diversity. Durham's vibrant African-American community was historically pioneering in United States Black culture, from the arts to finance. These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a much more high-profile (and expensive) identity. Thanks to local anchor Duke University, a thriving, research-driven medical and tech industry has taken root.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 36.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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