Malpass Corner, NC to Watha, NC is 12.4 miles and takes about 17 minutes via Horsebranch Road and others, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within North Carolina's Southeast region. Expect a straightforward drive on local roads, making it a simple connection for your travels. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a quick transit or as part of a larger itinerary without demanding significant time.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Horsebranch Road
9 mi
12m
Malpass Corner Road
3 mi
4m
Watha Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Mary Slocum Road Southwest
<0.1 mi
<1m
US 421
<0.1 mi
<1m
Camp Kirkwood Road
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Horsebranch Road
— 9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Malpass Corner, NC and Watha, NC.
1
Start on US 421
235 ft·10 sec·US 421
2
Turn left onto Malpass Corner Road
3.0 mi·4 min·Malpass Corner Road
3
Turn left onto Horsebranch Road
9.0 mi·12 min·Horsebranch Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto Mary Slocum Road Southwest
445 ft·13 sec·Mary Slocum Road Southwest
5
Turn right onto Watha Road
0.3 mi·42 sec·Watha Road
6
Arrive at destination
Camp Kirkwood Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 4
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Malpass Corner Road
Turn left onto Malpass Corner Road
Navigation decision point
3
3 mi into trip|~4m in|Horsebranch Road
Turn left onto Horsebranch Road
Navigation decision point
4
12 mi into trip|~16m in|Mary Slocum Road Southwest
At end of road, turn right onto Mary Slocum Road Southwest
Navigation decision point
4
12.1 mi into trip|~17m in|Watha Road
Turn right onto Watha Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.97 one way
$3.94 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg4 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$2.15
$4.30
premium
$4.78
$2.33
$4.67
diesel
$5.35
$2.61
$5.22
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging
· 0 stops
· 75% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
3.7
0
$1.30
$0.60
Efficient EV
3.1
0
$1.09
$0.50
EV Truck/SUV
5
0
$1.74
$0.79
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Malpass Corner, NC
Evening
in Malpass Corner on Wednesday
Local time
6:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
SW 7 mph21% chanceLive 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
Watha, NC
Evening
in Watha on Wednesday
Local time
6:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
SW 7 mph24% chanceLive 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
1 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
17m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a turn-heavy local drive with no highway miles. You'll be navigating a series of local roads, including Horsebranch Road, Malpass Corner Road, and Watha Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9 miles on Horsebranch Road. The character of the drive is consistently local, meaning you'll likely experience varied road conditions and frequent turns as you connect the different segments.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Horsebranch Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Malpass Corner Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 4 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 (Malpass Corner Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (Horsebranch Road): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles (Mary Slocum Road Southwest): Navigation decision point.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Horsebranch Road. 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: near the start (Malpass Corner Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (Horsebranch Road): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles (Mary Slocum Road Southwest): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Watha, NC before heading back.
