Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
47.8 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maine, NC
Mohan Nannapaneni
Hays, NC
John Robertson
The drive from Maine, NC to Hays, NC covers 47.8 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 421, Liberty Church Road, Rock Creek Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.7 miles on US 421. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 421 | 12.7 mi | 14m |
| Liberty Church Road | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| Rock Creek Road | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Yadkinville Road | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| US 21 | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Red White & Blue Road | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Elkin Highway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Lone Hickory Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between Maine, NC and Hays, NC.
Start on Oak Grove Church Road
Turn left onto US 158
Turn right onto Country Lane
Turn right onto US 601
Continue on Liberty Church Road
Turn left onto Lone Hickory Road
Turn right onto US 21
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 421
Take the exit
Turn right onto Red White & Blue Road
Continue on Roaring River Road
Continue on State Road 2327
Turn left onto NC 268
Turn right onto Rock Creek Road
Turn right onto Traphill Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Maine, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 158
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 601 / Yadkinville Road
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 421
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Red White & Blue Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto NC 268 / Elkin Highway
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$7.32 one way
$14.65 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $8.04 | $16.08 |
| premium | $4.64 | $8.73 | $17.45 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $10.54 | $21.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Maine on Friday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Hays on Friday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
47.8 mi in 1h 6m — 36% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: US 421.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 158.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 6m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 158): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (US 601 / Yadkinville Road): Navigation decision point; at 22.7 miles (US 421): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
838 ft
Total Descent
275 ft
Highest Point
1,360 ft
~47.8 mi in
Elevation Range
563 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 47.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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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