Origin
Pickens, SC
Morning in Pickens on Tuesday
Local time
8:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pickens, SC to Spartanburg, SC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
49.9 mi
80 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pickens, SC
Just a Couple Photos
Spartanburg, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Pickens to Spartanburg, expect a straightforward 51.6-mile journey through the Southeast. This drive typically takes about 1 hour and 7 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via East Main Street, Jewel Street, and Farrs Bridge Road rather than relying on major interstates. Budgeting around $8 for fuel should comfortably cover your transit between these two South Carolina locales. Because the route avoids highway driving entirely, you can enjoy a more relaxed pace compared to high-speed transit corridors. It is a practical, no-fuss connection that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Farrs Bridge Road | 14.9 mi | 23m |
| I 85 | 13.8 mi | 17m |
| I 385 | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Warren H Abernathy Highway | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| W O Ezell Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Cedar Lane Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Pete Hollis Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| West North Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Farrs Bridge Road
— 14.9 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pickens, SC and Spartanburg, SC.
1
Start on US 178
104 ft
·
6 sec
·
Pendleton Street
2
Turn right onto SC 183
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Continue on SC 8; SC 183
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Jewel Street
4
Turn right onto SC 183
15 mi
·
23 min
·
Farrs Bridge Road
5
Continue on SC 183
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Cedar Lane Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on SC 183
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Pete Hollis Boulevard
7
Continue on SC 183
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Buncombe Street
8
Continue on West North Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West North Street
9
Continue on I 385
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
I 385
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 36B-A
Toward I 85: Atlanta, Spartanburg
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
1.5 mi
·
2 min
Exit 36A
Toward I 85 North: Spartanburg, Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport
12
Merge onto I 85
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 66
Toward US 29: Spartanburg-West, Wellford
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn slight left
128 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 29 South: Lyman, Wellford
Use the slight left lane.
15
Turn right onto US 29
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Warren H Abernathy Highway
16
Continue on US 29
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
W O Ezell Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on US 29
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
18
Turn left onto US 29
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Saint John Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto US 221; SC 56
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Church Street
20
Arrive at destination
US 221; SC 56
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Pickens, SC, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 25.7 and 48.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
25.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward I 85: Atlanta, Spartanburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36B-A
Toward I 85: Atlanta, Spartanburg
7
25.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Spartanburg, Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 36A
Toward I 85 North: Spartanburg, Greenville–Spar...
8
41.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 29: Spartanburg-West, Wellford
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 66
Toward US 29: Spartanburg-West, Wellford
6
41.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Turn slight left toward US 29 South: Lyman, Wellford
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Lyman, Wellford
6
48.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
US 29 / West Saint John Street
Turn left onto US 29 / West Saint John Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.80 one way
$15.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.53 | $17.06 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.24 | $18.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.02 | $22.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.24 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $6.99 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Spartanburg, SC
Morning in Spartanburg on Tuesday
Local time
8:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Greenville, SC
25 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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 17m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Since this route features a 0% highway share, you will be navigating local roads for the entire 51.6-mile duration. There are no long, monotonous stretches here; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on East Main Street, meaning you will be making frequent turns throughout the trip. This is not a route for cruise control, but rather one that requires your full attention as you move through the winding local infrastructure. You should prepare for a varied driving experience that prioritizes local navigation over fast-paced highway travel.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.9 mi on Farrs Bridge Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 25.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 25.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 41.1 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
1,107 ft
784 ft
Total Climb
274 ft
Total Descent
534 ft
Highest Point
1,107 ft
Elevation Range
323 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.
Between Pickens, SC and Spartanburg, SC, road signs point toward Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport and Wellford.
Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport
25.8 mi in
|
~41m
Wellford
41.1 mi in
|
~1h 1m
About the Cities
Starting in Pickens, SC
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Roper House Complex — historic house in South Carolina, United States
- • Griffin-Christopher House — Pickens, South Carolina, NRHP-listed
- • Old Pickens Jail
Arriving in Spartanburg, SC
Full guide →Spartanburg is both a county and city in Upcountry South Carolina.
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 17m. Total distance: 49.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.9 miles on Farrs Bridge Road. 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 Spartanburg, SC 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 25.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 41.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Cowpens 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 Spartanburg, SC 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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