Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
63.7 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
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
Hudson, NC
Mark Stebnicki
The drive from Maine, NC to Hudson, NC covers 63.7 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, US 321, Country Lane for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 45.9 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 45.9 mi | 52m |
| US 321 | 11.5 mi | 17m |
| Country Lane | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Yadkinville Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Valley Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| US 158 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Pine Mountain Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,344 veh/hr typical · worst 2,832
Quietest
2 AM
~129 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Maine, NC and Hudson, NC.
Start on Oak Grove Church Road
Turn left onto US 158
Turn right onto Country Lane
Turn right onto US 601
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 40
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 321
Turn left onto Pine Mountain Road
Continue on Cedar Valley Road
Turn right onto US 321A
Turn left onto Legion Road
Turn left onto Central Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 31.8 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 63.7 — 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
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 321: Lenoir, Lincolnton, Hickory
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 321 North: Lenoir
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto Central Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$9.76 one way
$19.52 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $10.71 | $21.42 |
| premium | $4.64 | $11.63 | $23.26 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $14.04 | $28.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.57 | $2.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.5 | 0 | $8.92 | $4.08 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
1:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Hudson on Friday
Local time
1:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Clear
68°F
Stony Point, NC
32 mi in
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.
63.7 mi in 1h 20m, mostly highway — 45.9 mi of that is on I 40.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 321. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 158.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63.7 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 158): Navigation decision point; at 3.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
681 ft
Total Descent
216 ft
Highest Point
1,262 ft
~63.7 mi in
Elevation Range
515 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Maine, NC and Hudson, NC, road signs point toward Lincolnton and Hickory.
Lincolnton
Hickory
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 63.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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