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Trip from Kings Mountain, NC to Huntersville, NC

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

Drive Time

50m

Distance

39.7 mi

64 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m

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

human settlement in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States of America

Kings Mountain, NC

Wikimedia Commons

town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States of America

Huntersville, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick transition between Kings Mountain and Huntersville, this 39.7-mile journey is a straightforward trek across North Carolina. You can easily complete the drive in about 40 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Budgeting roughly $6 for fuel should cover your needs for the duration of the transit. Since both locations are situated within the Southeast region, you will find a consistent atmosphere throughout the drive. This route is best treated as a simple point-to-point connection rather than a multi-day excursion, offering a practical solution for commuters or travelers moving between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway 17.6 mi 21m
Craig Lawing Freeway 10.6 mi 11m
I 77 North 2.3 mi 2m
Cameron Morrison Bridge 2.2 mi 2m
Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway 1.3 mi 1m
Gilead Road 0.7 mi 2m
North Piedmont Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
I-77 North 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway — 17.6 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kings Mountain, NC and Huntersville, NC.

1

Start on this road

86 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto NC 216

0.3 mi · 36 sec · North Piedmont Avenue
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward US 74 East: Gastonia
4

Merge onto US 74

1.3 mi · 1 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
5

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 7 sec
Toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 85

18 mi · 21 min · Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
Use the straight lane.
8

Continue on I 85

2.2 mi · 2 min · Cameron Morrison Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 30 Toward I 485: Pineville, Huntersville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min
Toward I 485 Inner North: Statesville, Huntersville Use the slight left lane.
11

Merge onto I 485

11 mi · 11 min · Craig Lawing Freeway
Use the straight lane.
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 35 sec
Exit 23A-B Toward I 77: Charlotte, Statesville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 23B Toward I 77 North: Statesville
14

Merge onto I 77

0.2 mi · 14 sec · I-77 North
15

Continue on I 77

1.4 mi · 1 min · I 77 North
16

Keep slight right at fork onto I 77

0.9 mi · 59 sec · I 77 North
17

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Exit 23 Toward Huntersville, Gilead Road Use the slight right lane.
18

Keep slight right at fork

102 ft · 2 sec
Use the right lane.
19

Keep slight left at fork

243 ft · 8 sec
20

Turn straight onto Gilead Road

0.7 mi · 2 min · Gilead Road
21

Turn right onto NC 115

49 ft · 0 sec · South Old Statesville Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
22

Arrive at destination

NC 115

Where to Stop

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

city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mount Holly, NC

20 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.

Popular next leg

Mount Holly, NC to Huntersville, NC

16.2 mi · 23m

Pacing Suggestions

Cornelius, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Belmont, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Kings Mountain, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 38.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
2 mi into trip | ~2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte
8
22.6 mi into trip | ~27m in

Take the exit toward I 485: Pineville, Huntersville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 30 Toward I 485: Pineville, Huntersville
8
23.1 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 485 Inner North: Statesville, Huntersville

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 485 Inner North: Statesville, Huntersv...
8
34.7 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward I 77: Charlotte, Statesville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 23A-B Toward I 77: Charlotte, Statesville
8
38.6 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward Huntersville, Gilead Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 23 Toward Huntersville, Gilead Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.21 one way

$12.42 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $6.79 $13.58
premium $4.70 $7.35 $14.70
diesel $5.61 $8.77 $17.53

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.9 0 $4.17 $1.91
Efficient EV 9.9 0 $3.47 $1.59
EV Truck/SUV 15.9 0 $5.56 $2.54

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 13, 2026

Origin

Kings Mountain, NC

Afternoon in Kings Mountain on Sunday

Local time

12:26 PM

EDT

Current temp

58°F

Partly Cloudy

SSW 7 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Huntersville, NC

Afternoon in Huntersville on Sunday

Local time

12:26 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

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

9 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

50m 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 that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Because this route features a zero-percent highway share, you will be navigating local roads like North Piedmont Avenue, US 74 East, and Senator J throughout the entire 39.7-mile distance. The lack of high-speed highway stretches means your pace will be dictated by the flow of local traffic and turns. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, so stay alert for changing road conditions as you transition between towns. It is a functional path that favors local connectivity over high-speed transit.

33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.6 mi on Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 39.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,001 ft 640 ft

Total Climb

255 ft

Total Descent

475 ft

Highest Point

1,001 ft

Elevation Range

362 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Kings Mountain, NC and Huntersville, NC, road signs point toward Charlotte and Statesville.

Charlotte

2 mi in | ~2m

Statesville

34.7 mi in | ~42m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 39.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17.6 miles on Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch 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 Huntersville, 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 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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