Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
10.2 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mauldin, SC
Daniel Sell
Fountain Inn, SC
Mugurel Moscaliuc
Mauldin to Fountain Inn is 10.2 miles and takes about 14 minutes via Golden Strip Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Southeast region, specifically South Carolina, making it a convenient local trip. Given its brief duration and highway profile, it's ideal for a quick errand or a simple connection between these two towns. You'll primarily be on well-maintained roads, so the focus is on efficient travel rather than a lengthy sightseeing experience.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Strip Freeway | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| US 276 | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| McCarter Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 11 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~2,522 veh/hr typical · worst 3,024
Quietest
2 AM
~108 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 71 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Mauldin, SC and Fountain Inn, SC.
Start on this road
Turn right
Turn right onto US 276
Keep slight right at fork onto US 276
Merge onto I 385
Take the exit
Turn left onto SC 418
Turn left onto SC 14
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 276 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork onto US 276
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward SC 418: Fork Shoals, Fountain Inn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$1.56 one way
$3.13 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $1.72 | $3.43 |
| premium | $4.64 | $1.86 | $3.72 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.07 | $0.49 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.89 | $0.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Mauldin on Friday
Local time
3:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Fountain Inn on Friday
Local time
3:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny
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.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 84% of the 10.2 miles on highways like the Golden Strip Freeway. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 6.3 miles on the Golden Strip Freeway before transitioning to US 276 and McCarter Road. Expect a consistent flow with fewer interruptions during the highway portion. The latter part of the drive will involve navigating surface streets as you approach Fountain Inn.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Golden Strip Freeway and US 276. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 7 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: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 276 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 276): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
204 ft
Total Descent
285 ft
Highest Point
950 ft
~2.2 mi in
Elevation Range
155 ft
Founded 1820
Mauldin is a suburb of Greenville in the Upcountry of South Carolina.
Fountain Inn is a suburban city southeast of the city of Greenville in the Upcountry of South Carolina. Fountain Inn is primarily a commuter town of Greenville, but does have a decent collection of restaurants and boutique shops. The population was estimated at 7,800 in 2010.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 10.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.
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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