If you are planning a quick transit through the Southeast, the 19.2-mile journey from Travelers Rest to Mauldin is a straightforward local connection. Expect to spend about 31 minutes behind the wheel for this trek, which serves as an ideal half-day or afternoon excursion. Since the route requires no overnight stops, you can easily complete it in a single day. Budgeting around $3 for fuel should cover your needs for the entire trip. This drive is best viewed as a functional link between these two South Carolina communities rather than a destination-heavy scenic tour.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 385
6.5 mi
7m
Poinsett Highway
4.7 mi
7m
North Pleasantburg Drive
4.5 mi
8m
South Main Street
1.3 mi
2m
East Butler Road
0.8 mi
1m
Bridges Road
0.3 mi
<1m
State Park Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Old Mill Road
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 385
— 6.5 mi, about 7m
Traffic on I-385
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,300 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~137 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
31.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 102 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 Travelers Rest, SC and City of Mauldin, SC.
1
Start on Center Street
83 ft·9 sec·Center Street
2
Turn left onto US 276
1.3 mi·2 min·South Main Street
3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 276
4.7 mi·7 min·Poinsett Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto SC 253
0.2 mi·24 sec·State Park Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on SC 291
3.0 mi·5 min·North Pleasantburg Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on SC 291
1.5 mi·2 min·North Pleasantburg Drive
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward I 385 South: ColumbiaUse the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 385
6.5 mi·7 min·I 385
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 33Toward Bridges RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Bridges Road
0.3 mi·47 sec·Bridges Road
11
Turn left onto East Butler Road
0.8 mi·1 min·East Butler Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Old Mill Road
0.1 mi·24 sec·Old Mill Road
13
Turn left onto McSwain Drive
0.1 mi·32 sec·McSwain Drive
14
Arrive at destination
McSwain Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 18.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in|US 276 / Poinsett Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 276 / Poinsett Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6 mi into trip|~10m in|SC 253 / State Park Road
Turn left onto SC 253 / State Park Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
10.7 mi into trip|~19m in
Turn left toward I 385 South: Columbia
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 385 South: Columbia
7
17.5 mi into trip|~27m in
Take the exit toward Bridges Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 33
Toward Bridges Road
6
18.1 mi into trip|~29m in|East Butler Road
Turn left onto East Butler Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.94 one way
$5.88 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg7 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$3.23
$6.46
premium
$4.64
$3.51
$7.01
diesel
$5.60
$4.23
$8.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 71% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
5.8
0
$2.02
$0.92
Efficient EV
4.8
0
$1.68
$0.77
EV Truck/SUV
7.7
0
$2.69
$1.23
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 Aug 21, 2026
Origin
Travelers Rest, SC
Afternoon
in Travelers Rest on Thursday
Local time
4:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 3 to 7 mph31% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 21 at 2:12AM EDT until August 21 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 21 at 2:04AM EDT until August 21 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston SC
Destination
City of Mauldin, SC
Afternoon
in City of Mauldin on Thursday
Local time
4:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ESE 6 mph39% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 21 at 2:12AM EDT until August 21 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 21 at 2:04AM EDT until August 21 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston SC
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
3 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
31m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged with your surroundings. You will navigate primarily via South Main Street, Poinsett Highway, and State Park Road as you transition through the area. Since this route maintains a 0% highway share, you should anticipate constant speed changes and frequent intersections rather than the monotony of an interstate. The road’s personality is defined by its local character, requiring your full attention as you wind your way toward your destination.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on I 385.
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 1.3 miles in near US 276 / Poinsett Highway.
Driving Effort7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 19.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (US 276 / Poinsett Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (SC 253 / State Park Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
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 6.5 miles on I 385. 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 City of Mauldin, 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 1.3 miles (US 276 / Poinsett Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (SC 253 / State Park Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Mauldin, SC before heading back.
