Trip from Greenville, NC to Hickory, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 56m

Distance

250.8 mi

404 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$39

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 43m ★

6 AM

4h 56m

8 AM

5h 23m

10 AM

5h 6m

12 PM

5h 3m

3 PM

5h 7m

5 PM

5h 22m

8 PM

4h 48m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time

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city in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States

Greenville, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Hickory, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Greenville, NC to Hickory, NC is 250.8 miles and takes about 4h 56m via I 40 and I 85, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, connecting the Southeast region from one point to another. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on major interstates, making it a practical choice for a single-day trip. You'll find it’s a direct route with minimal fuss, ideal if you're looking for efficiency over extensive sightseeing.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

125.4 miles from Greenville, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 29m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 40	101.1 mi	1h 56m
I 85	42.3 mi	48m
John P East Memorial Highway	32.8 mi	35m
I 587	29.8 mi	31m
Northern Wake Expressway	15.4 mi	16m
South Miami Boulevard	9.3 mi	12m
Buffaloe Road	3.8 mi	6m
New Raleigh Highway	2.5 mi	3m

Longest stretch: I 40 — 101.1 mi, about 1h 56m

Traffic on I-40

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 38 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~2,744 veh/hr typical · worst 3,220

Quietest

2 AM

~144 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

19.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 103 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 Greenville, NC and Hickory, NC.

Start on South Summit Street

0.2 mi · 53 sec · South Summit Street

At end of road, turn right onto East 5th Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · East 5th Street

Turn left onto South Evans Street

0.4 mi · 54 sec · South Evans Street

Turn right onto West 10th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 10th Street

Continue on Farmville Boulevard

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Farmville Boulevard

Continue on Stantonsburg Road

2.5 mi · 4 min · Stantonsburg Road

Continue on I 587

33 mi · 35 min · John P East Memorial Highway

Merge onto I 587; I 795; US 264

30 mi · 31 min · I 587; I 795; US 264

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 14 Toward Rolesville Road

Keep slight right at fork

309 ft · 7 sec

Exit 14 Toward Rolesville Road

Turn right onto Rolesville Road

2.4 mi · 4 min · Rolesville Road

Turn sharp left onto Marks Creek Road

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Marks Creek Road

Turn right onto Horton Road

0.4 mi · 43 sec · Horton Road

Turn right onto Buffaloe Road

3.8 mi · 6 min · Buffaloe Road

Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 23 sec

Merge onto I 540

15 mi · 16 min · Northern Wake Expressway

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward US 70 West: Durham Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto US 70

1.9 mi · 2 min · Glenwood Avenue

Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 70

2.5 mi · 3 min · New Raleigh Highway

Continue on US 70

9.3 mi · 12 min · South Miami Boulevard

Use the left / straight lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; US 70

42 mi · 48 min · I 85; US 70

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

7.7 mi · 9 min · I 40

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220

13 mi · 15 min · I 40; US 220

Use the straight lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

81 mi · 1 hr 31 min · I 40

Toward I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec

Exit 125 Toward Hickory, Lenoir-Rhyne College

Turn right onto Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard Southeast

1.3 mi · 2 min · Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard Southeast

Turn left onto 1st Avenue Southeast

0.9 mi · 1 min · 1st Avenue Southeast

Turn right onto 3rd Street Southwest

347 ft · 15 sec · 3rd Street Southwest

Continue on 3rd Street Northwest

415 ft · 20 sec · 3rd Street Northwest

Turn right onto Trade Alley

338 ft · 29 sec · Trade Alley

Turn left

153 ft · 11 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Given the 4-hour 56-minute drive time, leaving in the morning is your best bet to ensure you arrive with daylight. The route has one suggested stop, which is a good point to refuel and stretch. With 250.8 miles total, you can easily complete this in one day without feeling rushed. Pay attention to the transition off I 40, as that's where the character of the drive will change most significantly. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before embarking on the longest stretch of 101.1 miles on I 40.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 125.4 miles from Greenville, NC, or about 2h 29m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.1 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 55 miles or 1h 2m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 125.4 miles or 2h 29m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 2m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hickory, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Greenville, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Greenville, NC

This is one driving day of about 250.8 miles and 4h 56m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Greenville, NC.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 101.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Carrboro, NC

125 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

Archer Lodge, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mebane, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 125.4 miles from Greenville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

0.2 mi from route

Service Plaza

2.1 mi from route

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 67.3 and 167.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

67.3 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Rolesville Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 14 Toward Rolesville Road

90.3 mi into trip | ~1h 45m in

Take the exit toward US 70 West: Durham

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 70 West: Durham

104.5 mi into trip | ~2h 4m in | I 85; US 70

Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; US 70

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

146.8 mi into trip | ~2h 53m in | I 40

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

167.1 mi into trip | ~3h 18m in | I 40

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$39.20 one way

$78.40 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 88 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.35	$42.93	$85.86
premium	$4.72	$46.61	$93.21
diesel	$6.28	$61.97	$123.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$39

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 87.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	75.2	0	$26.33	$12.04
Efficient EV	62.7	0	$21.95	$10.03
EV Truck/SUV	100.3	1	$35.11	$16.05

Gas CO2

88 kg

EV CO2

29 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 Oct 19, 2026

Origin

Greenville, NC

Morning in Greenville on Saturday

Local time

7:11 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Mostly Sunny

N 13 to 17 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued October 19 at 8:05AM EDT until October 20 at 1:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA

Coastal Flood Watch

Coastal Flood Watch issued October 19 at 4:09AM EDT until October 21 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA

Destination

Hickory, NC

Morning in Hickory on Saturday

Local time

7:11 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Sunny

NNE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued October 19 at 8:05AM EDT until October 20 at 1:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA

Coastal Flood Watch

Coastal Flood Watch issued October 19 at 4:09AM EDT until October 21 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

4h 56m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 about 75% highway, meaning you'll spend the majority of your time on interstates like I 40 and I 85. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 101.1 miles on I 40. Expect a significant amount of highway cruising before you transition to more local roads closer to Hickory. You’ll likely notice a consistent flow of traffic on the main interstates, with many exits spaced relatively close together.

75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 101.1 mi on I 40.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 85. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 67.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 250.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 67.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 90.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 104.5 miles (I 85; US 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,142 ft 58 ft

Total Climb

1,085 ft

Total Descent

0 ft

Highest Point

1,142 ft

~250.8 mi in

Elevation Range

1,085 ft

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 Greenville, NC to Hickory, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Statesville along the way.

Statesville

167.1 mi in | ~3h 18m | via I 40

About the Cities

Starting in Greenville, NC

Full guide →

Founded 1786

Greenville, one of the fastest growing cities in North Carolina, is the county seat of Pitt County, and is the principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is known as the cultural, economical, and educational hub of North Carolina's Inner Banks, the geographical area east of Raleigh and west of the North Carolina coast.

Arriving in Hickory, NC

Full guide →

Founded 1870

Hickory is a city in the foothills of North Carolina. Hickory is something of a regional shopping hub and a significant center for furniture manufacturing. As a result, it's an excellent place for buying furniture.

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 4h 56m. Total distance: 250.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 101.1 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 17 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Hickory, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 17 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Hickory, NC, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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Trip from Greenville, NC to Hickory, NC

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-40

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Davie County, I-40 Eastbound Rest Area

Davie County, I-40 Westbound Rest Area

Pilot Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Alamance County Rest Area

Alamance County Rest Area

ONE9 Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

I-40 Catawba Rest Area Westbound MM 136

I-40 Catawba Rest Area Eastbound MM 136

Petro Stopping Centers

TA

TA

Flying J Travel Center

Service Plaza

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Greenville, NC

Hickory, NC

Same local time

Very similar conditions

4h 56m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Greenville, NC

Arriving in Hickory, NC

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Hickory, NC

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