Origin
North Charleston, SC
Late night in North Charleston on Sunday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h
Distance
135.2 mi
218 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Charleston, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Gloverville, SC
Daniel Sell
North Charleston, SC to Gloverville, SC is 135 miles and takes about 3 hours via I 26 and SC 394, with a fuel budget near $21 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, entirely within South Carolina, making for a straightforward excursion. You'll experience a mixed drive, transitioning from interstate speeds to more local roads as you approach your destination. It's a manageable distance, ideal for a single day of travel without feeling rushed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
67.6 miles from North Charleston, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 26 | 61 mi | 1h 7m |
| North Road | 16.3 mi | 24m |
| SC 394 | 15.2 mi | 24m |
| Wagener Road | 12.8 mi | 19m |
| Salley Road | 7.6 mi | 10m |
| Five Chop Road | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Augusta Road | 4 mi | 7m |
| Richland Avenue West | 3.5 mi | 5m |
Step-by-step road directions between North Charleston, SC and Gloverville, SC.
Start on US 52; US 78
Turn left onto SC 642
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 26
Take the exit
Merge onto US 301
Turn right onto US 21; US 178; US 601 Truck
Continue on US 21; US 178; US 601 Truck
Continue on US 178
Turn left onto SC 394
Enter roundabout onto SC 394
Continue on SC 394
At end of road, turn right onto SC 4
Continue on SC 4; SC 302
Continue on US 78
Continue on US 1; US 78; SC 19
Turn left onto SC 118; SC 19 Truck
Turn right onto SC 421
Arrive at destination
With a 3-hour drive time, leaving in the morning from North Charleston allows ample time to reach Gloverville without needing an overnight stay. Since the longest continuous stretch on the interstate is 61 miles, plan for a brief stop around the halfway point if needed, perhaps before transitioning off I 26. Given the reasonable fuel cost of approximately $21 for this 135-mile trip, you won't need to worry excessively about refueling. Take advantage of the single recommended stop to stretch your legs or grab a quick bite.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 30 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.6 miles or 1h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gloverville, SC than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving North Charleston, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from North Charleston, SC
This is one driving day of about 135.2 miles and 3h.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
68 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 67.6 miles from North Charleston, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 26 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61 miles.
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 0.3 and 68.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto SC 642 / Dorchester Road
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 26 West: Columbia
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 301 South: Orangeburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn right onto US 21; US 178; US 601 Truck / Whittaker Parkway
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$21.14 one way
$42.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $23.12 | $46.23 |
| premium | $4.70 | $25.02 | $50.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.85 | $59.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.6 | 0 | $14.20 | $6.49 |
| Efficient EV | 33.8 | 0 | $11.83 | $5.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 54.1 | 0 | $18.93 | $8.65 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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 North Charleston on Sunday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Gloverville on Sunday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to...
National Park
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is about 57% highway, with the longest stretch on I 26 covering 61 miles. You'll transition from interstate cruising to surface roads around North Road and SC 394. Expect a mix of faster-paced interstate driving and more moderate speeds on the latter part of the route.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near SC 642 / Dorchester Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (SC 642 / Dorchester Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
North Charleston is in the Greater Charleston area. It is the third largest city in South Carolina with a lot of muscle in terms of commerce and consumerism.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h. Total distance: 135.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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