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Trip from Hot Springs, NC to Walnut Creek, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

34m

Distance

18.1 mi

29 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 31m ★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m

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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Downtown Hot Springs, NC, NC

Hot Springs, NC

Siarhei Nester

Downtown Walnut Creek, NC, NC

Walnut Creek, NC

Keith Cassill

Trip Overview

Hot Springs, NC to Walnut Creek, NC is 18.1 miles and takes about 34 minutes via US 25, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, direct trip stays within North Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. It's a quick hop that's perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss. You'll find the majority of this drive is on main roads, making it straightforward for most travelers.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 25 9.9 mi 16m
Bridge Street 5 mi 7m
Walnut Creek Road 2.9 mi 9m
North Surpentine Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
North Spring Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 25 — 9.9 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hot Springs, NC and Walnut Creek, NC.

1

Start on North Surpentine Avenue

0.2 mi · 49 sec · North Surpentine Avenue
2

Continue on North Spring Street

461 ft · 27 sec · North Spring Street
3

Turn left onto US 25; US 70

5.0 mi · 7 min · Bridge Street
4

At end of road, turn right onto US 25; US 70

9.9 mi · 16 min · US 25; US 70
5

Turn sharp left onto Walnut Creek Road

2.9 mi · 9 min · Walnut Creek Road
6

Arrive at destination

Walnut Creek Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

3 of 3

3 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 15.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 25; US 70 / Bridge Street

Turn left onto US 25; US 70 / Bridge Street

Navigation decision point

4
5.3 mi into trip | ~9m in | US 25; US 70

At end of road, turn right onto US 25; US 70

Navigation decision point

5
15.2 mi into trip | ~25m in | Walnut Creek Road

Turn sharp left onto Walnut Creek Road

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.88 one way

$5.76 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.41 $3.14 $6.28
premium $4.78 $3.41 $6.81
diesel $5.35 $3.81 $7.62

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.4 0 $1.90 $0.87
Efficient EV 4.5 0 $1.58 $0.72
EV Truck/SUV 7.2 0 $2.53 $1.16

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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 May 7, 2026

Origin

Hot Springs, NC

Evening in Hot Springs on Wednesday

Local time

6:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Patchy Fog

ENE 2 mph 88% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 12:48AM EDT by NWS Raleigh NC

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued May 6 at 7:48PM EDT until May 7 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC

Destination

Walnut Creek, NC

Evening in Walnut Creek on Wednesday

Local time

6:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

N 2 mph 90% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 12:48AM EDT by NWS Raleigh NC

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued May 6 at 7:48PM EDT until May 7 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington 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

Very similar conditions

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

Road read

34m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 55% of it on highways. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch at 9.9 miles along US 25. Expect a blend of faster-paced highway driving and potentially more local road conditions as you approach your destination. The transition between these road types is gradual, providing a varied but manageable driving experience throughout the 34-minute journey.

55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.9 mi on US 25.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near US 25; US 70 / Bridge Street.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Hot Springs, NC to Walnut Creek, NC is easy. At 34m with 55% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 25; US 70 / Bridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 25; US 70): Navigation decision point; at 15.2 miles (Walnut Creek Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,291 ft 1,394 ft

Total Climb

1,601 ft

Total Descent

896 ft

Highest Point

2,291 ft

~7.8 mi in

Elevation Range

897 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Hot Springs, NC

Full guide →

Founded 1828

Hot Springs is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. Hot Springs is located at the confluence of the French Broad River and Spring Creek. A natural thermal spring is located here, the only hot spring known in North Carolina and in much of the southeastern United States. Thus, this area has long been a destination for those looking for therapeutic relief from their ailments.

Arriving in Walnut Creek, NC

Full guide →

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 34m. Total distance: 18.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

34m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (55%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.9 miles on US 25. 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 0.3 miles (US 25; US 70 / Bridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 25; US 70): Navigation decision point; at 15.2 miles (Walnut Creek Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Walnut Creek, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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