Origin
Watha, NC
Morning in Watha on Tuesday
Local time
8:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Watha, NC to Malpass Corner, 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
17m
Distance
12.4 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Watha, NC
Andretti Brown
Malpass Corner, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
Watha to Malpass Corner is 12.4 miles and takes about 17 minutes via Horsebranch Road, Malpass Corner Road, and Watha Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a very short hop entirely within the Southeast region of North Carolina. Given its brevity, this route is best suited for local travel or as a quick connection between two points rather than a destination drive. Expect a straightforward journey with no major highway driving, making it a simple and direct trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Horsebranch Road | 9 mi | 12m |
| Malpass Corner Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Watha Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Mary Slocum Road Southwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| US 421 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Camp Kirkwood Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Horsebranch Road
— 9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Watha, NC and Malpass Corner, NC.
1
Start on Camp Kirkwood Road
74 ft
·
1 sec
·
Camp Kirkwood Road
2
Continue on Watha Road
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Watha Road
3
Turn left onto Mary Slocum Road Southwest
445 ft
·
13 sec
·
Mary Slocum Road Southwest
4
Turn left onto Horsebranch Road
9.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Horsebranch Road
5
At end of road, turn right onto Malpass Corner Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Malpass Corner Road
6
Turn right onto US 421
235 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 421
7
Arrive at destination
US 421
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 12.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Mary Slocum Road Southwest
Turn left onto Mary Slocum Road Southwest
Navigation decision point
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Horsebranch Road
Turn left onto Horsebranch Road
Navigation decision point
4
9.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Malpass Corner Road
At end of road, turn right onto Malpass Corner Road
Navigation decision point
4
12.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 421
Turn right onto US 421
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.94 one way
$3.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.12 | $4.24 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.29 | $4.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.74 | $5.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Malpass Corner, NC
Morning in Malpass Corner on Tuesday
Local time
8:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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?
This drive has a distinctly turn-heavy local feel, with no highway mileage to speak of. You'll navigate primarily on Horsebranch Road, Malpass Corner Road, and Watha Road, experiencing a series of connections rather than long, uninterrupted stretches. The longest continuous segment you'll encounter is 9 miles on Horsebranch Road. This profile suggests a route that winds through local communities and requires your attention to navigation, typical of navigating rural or suburban areas.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Horsebranch Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Mary Slocum Road Southwest.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Mary Slocum Road Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Horsebranch Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.4 miles (Malpass Corner Road): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 12.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Horsebranch 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 0.3 miles (Mary Slocum Road Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Horsebranch Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.4 miles (Malpass Corner Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Malpass Corner, 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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