Origin
Elizabethtown, NC
Morning in Elizabethtown on Sunday
Local time
9:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabethtown, NC to Fayetteville, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
37.2 mi
60 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabethtown, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Fayetteville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Elizabethtown to Fayetteville is 37.2 miles and takes about 53 minutes via NC 53 and Cedar Creek Road, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip connecting two points within North Carolina's Southeast region. Given its short duration and focus on main roads, this route is ideal for a quick transit or as part of a larger journey. You'll be on highways for a significant portion, making it a relatively quick link between these two cities. Consider this an efficient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 53 | 23.7 mi | 32m |
| Cedar Creek Road | 10.7 mi | 15m |
| Person Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Poplar Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Clinton Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Market Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 53
— 23.7 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabethtown, NC and Fayetteville, NC.
1
Start on US 701; NC 41
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Poplar Street
2
Turn left onto NC 53; NC 242
24 mi
·
32 min
·
NC 53; NC 242
3
Continue on NC 53
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Cedar Creek Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Clinton Road
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Clinton Road
5
Continue on Person Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Person Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Enter roundabout onto Person Street
61 ft
·
1 sec
·
Person Street
7
Continue on Person Street
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Person Street
8
Continue on Person Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Person Street
9
Enter roundabout onto Market Square
155 ft
·
2 sec
·
Market Square
10
Arrive at destination
Market Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from Elizabethtown, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 37.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
NC 53; NC 242
Turn left onto NC 53; NC 242
Navigation decision point
3
25 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
NC 53 / Cedar Creek Road
Continue onto NC 53 / Cedar Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
36.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Person Street
Enter roundabout onto Person Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
37 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Person Street
Enter roundabout onto Person Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
37.2 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
Market Square
Enter roundabout onto Market Square
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.82 one way
$11.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.36 | $12.72 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.88 | $13.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.21 | $16.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Fayetteville, NC
Morning in Fayetteville on Sunday
Local time
9:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
NW 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
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
5 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
53m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 64% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 23.7 miles on NC 53, offering a consistent pace for a good portion of the journey. As you transition onto Cedar Creek Road and then Person Street, expect a shift in the driving environment, though the overall character remains geared towards efficient travel. It's not an overly complex drive, but you'll notice the change from open highway to more localized road segments as you approach your destination.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.7 mi on NC 53.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 53 and Cedar Creek Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near NC 53; NC 242.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Elizabethtown, NC to Fayetteville, NC is easy. At 53m with 64% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (NC 53; NC 242): Navigation decision point; at 25 miles (NC 53 / Cedar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 36.7 miles (Person Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
About the Cities
Arriving in Fayetteville, NC
Full guide →Fayetteville is a city in Cumberland County, in the western part of the North Carolina Coastal Plain region. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg/Liberty/Bragg (the name of which changed thrice in as many years,) a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city. Fayetteville has received the prestigious All-America City Award from the National Civic League three times. According to the 2020 United States Census estimate, the city has a population of 208,501. It ranks as the sixth-largest municipality in North Carolina. With an estimated population of 529,252, the Fayetteville metropolitan area is the largest in southeastern North Carolina, and the fifth-largest in the state.
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 53m. Total distance: 37.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.7 miles on NC 53. 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: at 1.3 miles (NC 53; NC 242): Navigation decision point; at 25 miles (NC 53 / Cedar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 36.7 miles (Person Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fayetteville, 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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