Origin
Mooresville, NC
Morning in Mooresville on Sunday
Local time
10:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mooresville, NC to Winston-Salem, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
58.1 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mooresville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Mooresville to Winston-Salem, you are looking at a straightforward 58.1-mile journey through North Carolina’s Southeast region. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 12 minutes on the road, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $9, the drive is both efficient and budget-friendly. You will primarily navigate via I-77 and I-40 before finishing your route on the Salem Parkway. Because the duration is quite short, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay unless your schedule requires it. This route provides a practical, direct link between these two NC cities without any mandatory stops required to complete the transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 34.4 mi | 37m |
| I 77 | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Salem Parkway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Charlotte Highway | 4 mi | 6m |
| Statesville Highway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West Iredell Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Plaza Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 34.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mooresville, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.
1
Start on this road
48 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
56 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left onto NC 3; NC 152
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Iredell Avenue
4
Turn right onto NC 150
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Plaza Drive
5
Turn left onto NC 115
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Statesville Highway
Use the left lane.
6
Turn straight onto US 21; NC 115
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Charlotte Highway
7
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
8
Merge onto I 77
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
I 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 51
Toward I 40: Winston-Salem, Asheville
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Toward I 40 East: Winston-Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on this road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 51A
Toward I 40 East: Winston-Salem
12
Merge onto I 40
34 mi
·
37 min
·
I 40
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 188
Toward US 421 South: Salem Parkway
14
Merge onto US 421
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Salem Parkway
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 233B
Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on High Street Southwest
459 ft
·
15 sec
·
High Street Southwest
17
Turn left onto Cherry Street South
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Cherry Street South
18
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
20
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29 miles from Mooresville, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 16.4 and 57.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
16.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 40: Winston-Salem, Asheville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 51
Toward I 40: Winston-Salem, Asheville
7
16.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East: Winston-Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 40 East: Winston-Salem
8
57.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 233B
Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
7
57.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
West 2nd Street
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
57.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.09 one way
$18.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.93 | $19.87 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.75 | $21.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.83 | $25.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Winston-Salem, NC
Morning in Winston-Salem on Sunday
Local time
10:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
N 1 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
55°F
Mocksville, NC
29 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
12 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
1h 12m 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 trip is a highway-focused drive, with 83% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You should be prepared for a consistent interstate experience rather than a winding backroads excursion. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 34.4 miles on I-40, which accounts for the majority of the time you will spend behind the wheel. As you transition from the initial highway segments onto the Salem Parkway, the character of the drive remains fast-paced and efficient. It is a functional, no-nonsense commute that prioritizes speed and directness to get you to your destination quickly.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.4 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 77. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.1 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
930 ft
709 ft
Total Climb
357 ft
Total Descent
355 ft
Highest Point
930 ft
~8.3 mi in
Elevation Range
221 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Mooresville, NC to Winston-Salem, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Asheville along the way.
Asheville
16.4 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Arriving in Winston-Salem, NC
Full guide →Winston-Salem is a city in North Carolina. It has an approximate population of 251,000 (2022). Winston-Salem is one of three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad; the others are Greensboro and High Point.
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 1h 12m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.4 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Winston-Salem, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Winston-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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