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Trip from Forest City, NC to Asheville, NC

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

Drive Time

1h 16m

Distance

62.5 mi

101 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 11m ★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m

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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town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States

Forest City, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Forest City to Asheville, you can expect a manageable 62.5-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 16 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Southeast region of North Carolina, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Andrew Jackson Highway, the Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway, and the James A. Callahan Highway. Budgeting approximately $10 for fuel should cover your needs for this direct transit. Since the drive is quite short, you have plenty of flexibility to explore your destination upon arrival without feeling drained by time behind the wheel.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway 37.8 mi 45m
Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway 18.3 mi 19m
James A. Callahan Highway 2.1 mi 2m
South Church Street 1.4 mi 3m
Billy Graham Freeway 1.4 mi 2m
US 74A 0.2 mi <1m
West Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
Patton Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Andrew Jackson Highway — 37.8 mi, about 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Forest City, NC and Asheville, NC.

1

Start on Cherry Mountain Street

54 ft · 5 sec · Cherry Mountain Street
2

Turn right onto US 74 Business; US 221A

0.2 mi · 47 sec · West Main Street
3

Turn left onto South Church Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · South Church Street
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto US 74A

0.2 mi · 23 sec · US 74A
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward US 74 West: Columbus, Asheville
6

Merge onto US 74

2.1 mi · 2 min · James A. Callahan Highway
7

Continue on US 74

18 mi · 19 min · Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway
8

Merge onto I 26; US 74

38 mi · 45 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
Toward Asheville
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec
Toward Westgate
10

Turn straight onto Patton Avenue

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Patton Avenue
Toward Westgate
11

Take the ramp

157 ft · 2 sec
Toward Westgate
12

Merge onto I 26; I 240; US 19; US 23; US 74A

1.4 mi · 2 min · Billy Graham Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Toward US 25 Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn slight right

137 ft · 3 sec
Use the right lane.
15

Turn right onto US 25

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Merrimon Avenue
16

Turn left onto Marcellus Street

130 ft · 7 sec · Marcellus Street
Use the left lane.
17

Turn right

45 ft · 3 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Dana, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Dana, NC

31 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

Columbus, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dana, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Forest City, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 62.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Church Street

Turn left onto South Church Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
1.8 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 74 West: Columbus, Asheville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 74 West: Columbus, Asheville
5
60.8 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in | I 26; I 240; US 19; US 23; US 74A / Billy Graham Freeway

Merge onto I 26; I 240; US 19; US 23; US 74A / Billy Graham Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
62.2 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Take the exit toward US 25

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward US 25
6
62.4 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in | Marcellus Street

Turn left onto Marcellus Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.77 one way

$19.55 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $10.69 $21.37
premium $4.70 $11.57 $23.13
diesel $5.61 $13.80 $27.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.8 0 $6.56 $3.00
Efficient EV 15.6 0 $5.47 $2.50
EV Truck/SUV 25 0 $8.75 $4.00

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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 12, 2026

Origin

Forest City, NC

Night in Forest City on Saturday

Local time

10:52 PM

EDT

Current temp

54°F

Mostly Clear

N 3 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 11 at 7:52PM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Asheville, NC

Night in Asheville on Saturday

Local time

10:52 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Mostly Clear

SE 1 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 11 at 7:52PM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

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

3 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 16m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as highway segments account for only 3 percent of the total mileage. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating local roads, which demands more focus than a typical high-speed freeway trek. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 37.8 miles on the Andrew Jackson Highway, where you can settle into a steady rhythm. Because the route relies heavily on local roads, the drive feels more grounded and integrated into the surrounding landscape. Be prepared for a more active driving experience that keeps you engaged with the changing road conditions from start to finish.

Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.8 mi on Andrew Jackson Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Church Street.

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 62.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (South Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.8 miles (I 26; I 240; US 19; US 23; US 74A / Billy Graham Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 62.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 37.8 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. 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 Asheville, 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 0.2 miles (South Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.8 miles (I 26; I 240; US 19; US 23; US 74A / Billy Graham Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Asheville, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Asheville, NC to Forest City, NC

Plan the drive back the other way.

63.1 mi 1h 17m

Continue From Asheville, NC

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