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Trip from Middlesex, NC to Salem, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

46m

Distance

35.3 mi

57 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Fair

4 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 42m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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Downtown Middlesex, NC, NC

Middlesex, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Downtown Salem, NC, NC

Salem, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

Middlesex, NC to Salem, NC is 35.3 miles and takes about 46 minutes via US 64, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. The drive is a mixed bag, offering a blend of highway speeds and more local road navigation. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a quick hop, making it a convenient option if you're looking to cover a short distance without a significant time commitment. Consider this route for a straightforward journey between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 64 13.7 mi 14m
Red Oak Road 11.3 mi 16m
North Nash Street 9.7 mi 13m
US 64 Business 0.1 mi <1m
Swift Creek School Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 64 — 13.7 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Middlesex, NC and Salem, NC.

1

Start on NC 231

9.7 mi · 13 min · North Nash Street
2

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
3

Merge onto US 64

14 mi · 14 min · US 64
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward US 64 Business
5

Turn left onto US 64 Business

0.1 mi · 16 sec · US 64 Business
6

Continue on Red Oak Road

11 mi · 16 min · Red Oak Road
7

Turn sharp left onto SR 1500

66 ft · 1 sec · Swift Creek School Road
8

Arrive at destination

SR 1500

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

human settlement in Nash County, North Carolina, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Red Oak, NC

18 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

Red Oak, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Red Oak, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.7 miles from Middlesex, 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 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 9.7 and 35.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
9.7 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

3
9.9 mi into trip | ~14m in | US 64

Merge onto US 64

Merge point - match speed before joining

4
23.7 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward US 64 Business

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 64 Business
3
23.9 mi into trip | ~29m in | US 64 Business

Turn left onto US 64 Business

Navigation decision point

5
35.3 mi into trip | ~46m in | SR 1500 / Swift Creek School Road

Turn sharp left onto SR 1500 / Swift Creek School Road

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.21 one way

$10.42 round trip

$3.75/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.12 $5.73 $11.45
premium $4.49 $6.24 $12.49
diesel $4.80 $6.67 $13.33

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.6 0 $3.71 $1.69
Efficient EV 8.8 0 $3.09 $1.41
EV Truck/SUV 14.1 0 $4.94 $2.26

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (67% 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 Jul 3, 2026

Origin

Middlesex, NC

Late night in Middlesex on Sunday

Local time

2:42 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Clear

SW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 3 at 1:31AM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Morristown TN

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 2 at 8:26PM EDT until July 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

Destination

Salem, NC

Late night in Salem on Sunday

Local time

2:42 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Clear

SW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 3 at 1:31AM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Morristown TN

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 2 at 8:26PM EDT until July 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

66°F

Red Oak, NC

18 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

46m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive offers a mixed experience, with 39% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on US 64, Red Oak Road, and North Nash Street, indicating a blend of faster travel and more community-focused roads. The longest uninterrupted segment spans 13.7 miles on US 64, providing a taste of consistent cruising before transitioning. Expect the character of the road to shift as you progress, moving from potentially quicker highway sections to more winding or built-up areas as you approach your destination. It’s not a monotonous interstate cruise, but rather a varied path.

39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on US 64.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 9.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Middlesex, NC to Salem, NC is easy. At 46m with 39% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 9.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (US 64): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

283 ft 140 ft

Total Climb

195 ft

Total Descent

258 ft

Highest Point

283 ft

~7.6 mi in

Elevation Range

143 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Middlesex, NC

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 35.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on US 64. 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 9.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (US 64): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salem, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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