Raleigh, NC to Southmont, NC is 118.1 miles and takes about 2h 23m via Dan K. Moore Frwy and I-85, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region towards the same. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making it a straightforward option for a single-day excursion. You'll find it a practical choice if you're looking for a relatively short drive that doesn't require overnight planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.1 miles from Raleigh, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dan K. Moore Frwy
61.5 mi
1h 11m
I 85
27.1 mi
29m
Cotton Grove Road
8 mi
13m
I 40
7.7 mi
9m
US 29
5.4 mi
5m
Wade Avenue
3.7 mi
4m
Western Boulevard
2.5 mi
4m
Gorman Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dan K. Moore Frwy
— 61.5 mi, about 1h 11m
Traffic on I-40
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 35 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,200 veh/hr typical
· worst 5,085
Quietest
2 AM
~322 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh, NC and Southmont, NC.
1
Start on East South Street
0.1 mi·26 sec·East South Street
2
Turn left onto South Salisbury Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·South Salisbury Street
3
Turn sharp right onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.5 mi·57 sec·Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
4
Continue on Western Boulevard
2.5 mi·4 min·Western Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Gorman Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Gorman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Faircloth Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Faircloth Street
7
Turn left onto Wade Avenue
0.4 mi·51 sec·Wade Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on Wade Avenue
3.3 mi·3 min·Wade Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 40
62 mi·1 hr 11 min·Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi·9 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29
5.4 mi·5 min·US 29
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: CharlotteUse the left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
27 mi·29 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Exit 91Toward NC 8: Lexington, Southmont
14
Turn left onto NC 8
8.0 mi·13 min·Cotton Grove Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Arrive at destination
NC 8
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 23m duration, leaving Raleigh, NC in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight. With 118.1 miles and a fuel cost around $18, you won't need extensive planning for stops, but keeping an eye on your fuel gauge is always wise, especially before hitting longer highway stretches. Consider a brief stop midway if needed, though the drive is easily manageable in one go. The transition from highway to surface roads like Cotton Grove Road means paying attention to changing speed limits as you approach your destination in Southmont.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 59.1 miles from Raleigh, NC, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.5 miles.
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 26 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.1 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Southmont, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Raleigh, NC 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 Raleigh, NC
This is one driving day of about 118.1 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Raleigh, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dan K. Moore Frwy for about 61.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 82.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in|Gorman Street
Turn right onto Gorman Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
4.4 mi into trip|~9m in|Wade Avenue
Turn left onto Wade Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
69.7 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
77.3 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|US 29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29 toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70...
6
82.7 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.07 one way
$34.15 round trip
$3.67/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$19.27
$38.54
premium
$4.55
$21.17
$42.33
diesel
$5.65
$26.29
$52.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.3 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.4
0
$12.40
$5.67
Efficient EV
29.5
0
$10.33
$4.72
EV Truck/SUV
47.2
0
$16.53
$7.56
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Raleigh, NC
Morning
in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Rain
N 15 mph92% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 10:15AM EDT until October 18 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 10:15AM EDT until October 18 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Destination
Southmont, NC
Morning
in Southmont on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Chance Light Rain then Mostly Cloudy
N 9 to 13 mph53% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 10:15AM EDT until October 18 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 10:15AM EDT until October 18 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 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
2h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 34% of this drive is on highways like the Dan K. Moore Frwy and I-85. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 61.5 miles on the Dan K. Moore Frwy before transitioning to surface roads like Cotton Grove Road. Expect a mixed driving experience, shifting from higher-speed highway travel to more local surface road conditions. This means you'll likely notice a change in traffic density and speed limits as you move between these road types.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.5 mi on Dan K. Moore Frwy.
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 3.3 miles in near Gorman Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 118.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.3 miles (Gorman Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (Wade Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 69.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.
Top landmarks
•North Carolina Museum of Art — state art museum in Raleigh, North Carolina
•North Carolina State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of North Carolina
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 118.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.5 miles on Dan K. Moore Frwy. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 12 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Southmont, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 12 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.3 miles (Gorman Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (Wade Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 69.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Southmont, NC before heading back.
