Origin
Rockwell, NC
Morning in Rockwell on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockwell, NC to Winston-Salem, NC
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
58m
Distance
46.2 mi
74 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockwell, NC
Alex Borelli
Trip Overview
This straightforward 46.2-mile drive from Rockwell, NC, to Winston-Salem, NC, is best suited as a single-day trip, taking approximately 58 minutes to complete. The majority of your journey, about 80% highway, will be spent on I-285 and US-52, offering an efficient commute. With an estimated fuel cost of just $7, this route is very budget-friendly. You'll be traveling within the Southeast region of the US, staying within North Carolina for the entire trip. This is a practical option if you're looking for a quick and easy transition between these two North Carolina cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 285 | 25.6 mi | 29m |
| US 52 | 10.8 mi | 11m |
| West Main Street | 7 mi | 12m |
| East Innes Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Salem Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 285
— 25.6 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockwell, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.
1
Start on Broad Street
75 ft
·
7 sec
·
Broad Street
2
Turn right onto US 52
7.0 mi
·
12 min
·
West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 52
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Innes Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp onto US 52
11 mi
·
11 min
·
US 52
Toward I 85 North, US 52 North: Lexington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Lexington, Winston-Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 285; US 52
22 mi
·
24 min
·
I 285; US 52
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Winston-Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 109B
Toward US 158 West, US 421 North: Salem Parkway
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto US 421; US 158; NC 150
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Salem Parkway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 233A
Toward Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn slight right onto South Main Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.1 miles from Rockwell, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 45.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 52 / West Main Street
Turn right onto US 52 / West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
19.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
Keep slight right at fork onto I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70 toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Lexington, Winston-Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Lexington, Win...
8
23.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 285; US 52
Keep slight left at fork onto I 285; US 52 toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Winston-Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 North, US 52 North: Winston-Salem
8
44.9 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward US 158 West, US 421 North: Salem Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 109B
Toward US 158 West, US 421 North: Salem Parkway
7
45.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 233A
Toward Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.22 one way
$14.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.90 | $15.80 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.20 | $20.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.85 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.04 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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 Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Spencer, NC
23 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
58m 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 predominantly highway-focused experience on this 46.2-mile route, with 80% of the drive utilizing major roads like I-285 and US-52. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 25.6 miles on I-285, allowing for steady progress. While the highway segments offer speed and directness, keep an eye out for the transition onto West Main Street as you approach Winston-Salem, which will offer a change in pace from the interstate. The overall character is one of efficient travel, minimizing time on slower local roads.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.6 mi on I 285.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 285 and US 52. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 52 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 46.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 52 / West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.3 miles (I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles (I 285; US 52): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Winston-Salem, NC
Full guide →Founded 1766
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.
Top landmarks
- • Old Salem — historic district and open-air museum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
- • Reynolds Building — historic skyscraper in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
- • Home Moravian Church — church building in Winston-Salem, North 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 58m. Total distance: 46.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.6 miles on I 285. 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: near the start (US 52 / West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.3 miles (I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles (I 285; US 52): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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