Rowan, NC to Clarkton, NC is 31.3 miles and takes about 51 minutes via Lisbon Road and NC 53, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a mix of driving conditions on this route, which is perfect for a quick hop between towns. Given the brief duration, it’s an easy drive to fit into any schedule without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Lisbon Road
10.7 mi
14m
NC 53
5 mi
6m
NC 87
4.4 mi
5m
NC 210
3.9 mi
6m
Elwell Ferry Road
3.8 mi
9m
Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
2.6 mi
3m
North College Street
0.8 mi
2m
Elwell Ferry
<0.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Lisbon Road
— 10.7 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rowan, NC and Clarkton, NC.
1
Start on NC 210
3.9 mi·6 min·NC 210
2
At end of road, turn right onto NC 53
5.0 mi·6 min·NC 53
3
Turn left onto Elwell Ferry Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Elwell Ferry Road
4
Continue on Elwell Ferry
416 ft·1 min·Elwell Ferry
5
Continue on SR 1730
2.7 mi·6 min·Elwell Ferry Road
6
Turn right onto NC 87
4.4 mi·5 min·NC 87
7
Turn left onto Lisbon Road
11 mi·14 min·Lisbon Road
8
Turn straight onto Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
2.5 mi·3 min·Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
9
Continue on Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
123 ft·3 sec·Mercer Mill Brown Marsh Road
10
Turn left onto US 701 Business
0.8 mi·2 min·North College Street
11
Arrive at destination
US 701 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 15.6 miles from Rowan, 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 30.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.9 mi into trip|~6m in|NC 53
At end of road, turn right onto NC 53
Navigation decision point
4
8.9 mi into trip|~13m in|Elwell Ferry Road
Turn left onto Elwell Ferry Road
Navigation decision point
3
12.9 mi into trip|~24m in|NC 87
Turn right onto NC 87
Navigation decision point
3
17.2 mi into trip|~30m in|Lisbon Road
Turn left onto Lisbon Road
Navigation decision point
3
30.5 mi into trip|~49m in|US 701 Business / North College Street
Turn left onto US 701 Business / North College Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.98 one way
$9.96 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg11 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$5.43
$10.86
premium
$4.78
$5.89
$11.78
diesel
$5.35
$6.59
$13.19
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
9.4
0
$3.29
$1.50
Efficient EV
7.8
0
$2.74
$1.25
EV Truck/SUV
12.5
0
$4.38
$2.00
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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 May 31, 2026
Origin
Rowan, NC
Afternoon
in Rowan on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
NE 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 30 at 7:59PM EDT until May 31 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 30 at 7:57PM EDT until May 31 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC
Destination
Clarkton, NC
Afternoon
in Clarkton on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
NE 5 to 8 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 30 at 7:59PM EDT until May 31 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 30 at 7:57PM EDT until May 31 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
51m 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 43% of this route is on highways. You'll encounter the longest stretch of continuous driving for 10.7 miles on Lisbon Road. This means you'll experience roughly 18 miles of non-highway driving, likely involving more local roads and intersections. Be prepared for a shift from faster-paced highway driving to more varied surface road conditions.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.7 mi on Lisbon Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in near NC 53.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rowan, NC to Clarkton, NC is easy. At 51m with 43% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles (NC 53): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (Elwell Ferry Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (NC 87): Navigation decision point.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.7 miles on Lisbon Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 3.9 miles (NC 53): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (Elwell Ferry Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (NC 87): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Moores Creek 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 Clarkton, NC before heading back.
