Origin
Waxhaw, NC
Late night in Waxhaw on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waxhaw, NC to Huntersville, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
36.9 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waxhaw, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Huntersville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Waxhaw to Huntersville covers a 45.5-mile journey that typically takes about 52 minutes. Since this route remains entirely within the Southeast region of North Carolina, you won't experience major climate or landscape shifts. You can easily complete this drive in a single day, making it a straightforward trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. With fuel costs estimated at around $7, it is a very budget-friendly excursion. Because there are no mandatory stops, you have the flexibility to head straight to your destination or build your own itinerary along the way.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Providence Road South | 19.5 mi | 31m |
| I-77 North | 9 mi | 10m |
| I 77 North | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Brookshire Freeway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Providence Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Gilead Road | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| North Broome Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 3rd Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Providence Road South
— 19.5 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waxhaw, NC and Huntersville, NC.
1
Start on NC 75
61 ft
·
5 sec
·
East South Main Street
2
Turn right onto NC 16
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broome Street
3
Continue on NC 16
20 mi
·
31 min
·
Providence Road South
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on NC 16
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Providence Road
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on NC 16
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
East 3rd Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on NC 16
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East 4th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp onto NC 16
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
NC 16
Toward I 277 North, US 74 East, NC 16 North
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 277; US 74; NC 16; NC 27
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
John Belk Freeway
9
Continue on I 277; NC 16
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Brookshire Freeway
10
Take the exit
273 ft
·
6 sec
Exit 5A
Toward I 77 North, US 21 North: Statesville
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 5A
Toward I 77 North, US 21 North: Statesville
12
Merge onto I 77; US 21
372 ft
·
5 sec
·
I-77 North
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
I-77 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 North
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 North
16
Continue on I 77
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 77 North
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
0.9 mi
·
59 sec
·
I 77 North
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 23
Toward Huntersville, Gilead Road
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight right at fork
102 ft
·
2 sec
Use the right lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork
243 ft
·
8 sec
21
Turn straight onto Gilead Road
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Gilead Road
22
Turn right onto NC 115
49 ft
·
0 sec
·
South Old Statesville Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Arrive at destination
NC 115
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from Waxhaw, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 21.9 and 36 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
21.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
NC 16
Take the ramp onto NC 16 toward I 277 North, US 74 East, NC 16 North
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 277 North, US 74 East, NC 16 North
8
24.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward I 77 North, US 21 North: Statesville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5A
Toward I 77 North, US 21 North: Statesville
7
24.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 77 North, US 21 North: Statesville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5A
Toward I 77 North, US 21 North: Statesville
8
35.8 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward Huntersville, Gilead Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 23
Toward Huntersville, Gilead Road
7
36 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.77 one way
$11.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.31 | $12.62 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.83 | $13.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.15 | $16.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.17 | $2.36 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Huntersville, NC
Late night in Huntersville on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
25 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
55m 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 turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than a monotonous interstate grind. With 0% of the route on highways, you will spend the entire 45.5 miles navigating local thoroughfares like North Broome Street, Providence Road South, and Providence Road. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, as the longest segment is 0 miles on North Broome Street. This character makes for a hands-on driving experience where you should be prepared for frequent turns and shifting traffic patterns as you transition between these local roads.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.5 mi on Providence Road South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 21.9 miles in near NC 16.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 36.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.9 miles (NC 16): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Waxhaw, NC
Full guide →The Charlotte Metro (also "Metrolina") is a region of North and South Carolina within and surrounding the city of Charlotte in the Piedmont of the Southeastern United States. The Charlotte metropolitan area is well known for its auto racing history (especially NASCAR). The region is headquarters to 8 Fortune 500 and 7 Fortune 1000 companies including Bank of America, Duke Energy, Sealed Air Corporation, Nucor Steel, and Lowe's Home Improvement Stores. Additional headquarters include Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Cheerwine
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 55m. Total distance: 36.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.5 miles on Providence Road South. 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 Huntersville, 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: at 21.9 miles (NC 16): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Huntersville, 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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