Origin
Lake Lure, NC
Morning in Lake Lure on Sunday
Local time
9:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Lure, NC to Hopewell, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
40.6 mi
65 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Lure, NC
Niki Clark
Hopewell, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
Lake Lure to Hopewell is 40.6 miles and takes about 56 minutes via US 74 and NC 9, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a relatively short drive entirely within North Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Given its brevity and focus on highway travel, it's a straightforward trip that doesn't require extensive planning. You'll spend most of your time on major roads, making it an efficient way to get from point A to point B without significant detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 74 | 19.7 mi | 21m |
| NC 9 | 12.1 mi | 19m |
| Hollis Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Ellenboro Henrietta Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Memorial Highway | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Henrietta Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 74
— 19.7 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Lure, NC and Hopewell, NC.
1
Start on US 64; US 74A; NC 9
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Memorial Highway
2
Turn slight right onto NC 9
12 mi
·
19 min
·
NC 9
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 74 East: Forest City, Rutherfordton
4
Merge onto US 74
20 mi
·
21 min
·
US 74
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward Henrietta, Caroleen, Ellenboro
6
Turn left onto Ellenboro Henrietta Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Ellenboro Henrietta Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto Henrietta Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Henrietta Street
8
At end of road, turn left onto US 74 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
9
Turn right onto Hollis Road
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Hollis Road
10
Turn right
57 ft
·
4 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 40.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.3 miles from Lake Lure, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 13.5 and 35.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
13.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the ramp toward US 74 East: Forest City, Rutherfordton
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 74 East: Forest City, Rutherfordton
5
33.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward Henrietta, Caroleen, Ellenboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Henrietta, Caroleen, Ellenboro
4
33.7 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Ellenboro Henrietta Road
Turn left onto Ellenboro Henrietta Road
Navigation decision point
4
35.4 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
Henrietta Street
At end of road, turn right onto Henrietta Street
Navigation decision point
5
35.7 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
US 74 Business / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 74 Business / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.35 one way
$12.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.94 | $13.88 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.51 | $15.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.96 | $17.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 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 | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.68 | $2.60 |
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.
Destination
Hopewell, NC
Morning in Hopewell on Sunday
Local time
9:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Columbus, NC
20 mi in
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
8 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
56m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 largely highway-focused, with 78% of the journey on main roads like US 74 and NC 9. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 19.7 miles on US 74, offering a consistent pace. Expect a generally smooth ride with minimal traffic disruption, characteristic of a highway-focused profile. The road primarily consists of well-maintained highways, making for a predictable and efficient driving experience.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.7 mi on US 74.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 74 and NC 9. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 13.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 56m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.7 miles (Ellenboro Henrietta Road): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lake Lure, NC and Hopewell, NC, road signs point toward Rutherfordton, Henrietta, Caroleen and Ellenboro.
Rutherfordton
13.5 mi in
|
~22m
Henrietta
33.5 mi in
|
~44m
Caroleen
33.5 mi in
|
~44m
Ellenboro
33.5 mi in
|
~44m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 40.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.7 miles on US 74. 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 13.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.7 miles (Ellenboro Henrietta Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hopewell, 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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