Origin
Winston-Salem, NC
Late night in Winston-Salem on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winston-Salem, NC to Denver, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
69.6 mi
112 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Winston-Salem to Denver, NC, is a straightforward 69.6-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 28 minutes to complete. Because the duration is quite short, this route is perfectly suited for a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend approximately $11 on fuel for the entire excursion, making it a budget-friendly option for your schedule. Both locations are situated within the Southeast region, ensuring a consistent climate and cultural feel throughout your travels. Since there are no required stops, you have the flexibility to head straight to your destination or build your own itinerary along the way.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 34.3 mi | 37m |
| I 77 | 14.3 mi | 17m |
| River Highway | 8 mi | 12m |
| Salem Parkway | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Slanting Bridge Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Campground Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 34.3 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem, NC and Denver, NC.
1
Start on North Main Street
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn right onto West 1st Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto Marshall Street South
302 ft
·
5 sec
·
Marshall Street South
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward US 158 West, US 421 North, NC 150 West
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto US 421; US 158; NC 150
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Salem Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 238
Toward I 40: Greensboro, Statesville
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 40 West: Statesville
8
Merge onto I 40
34 mi
·
37 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 152
Toward I 77 North, I 77 South: Wytheville, Charlotte
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 77 South: Charlotte
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 77
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 77
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 36
Toward NC 150: Mooresville, Lincolnton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
175 ft
·
5 sec
Toward NC 150 West: Lake Norman Airport, Lincolnton
14
Turn right onto NC 150
8.0 mi
·
12 min
·
River Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Slanting Bridge Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Slanting Bridge Road
16
Continue on Campground Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Campground Road
17
Turn left
154 ft
·
11 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.8 miles from Winston-Salem, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 56.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 158 West, US 421 North, NC 150 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 158 West, US 421 North, NC 150 West
8
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 40: Greensboro, Statesville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 238
Toward I 40: Greensboro, Statesville
7
40.9 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 77 South: Charlotte
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 77 South: Charlotte
8
56.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward NC 150: Mooresville, Lincolnton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36
Toward NC 150: Mooresville, Lincolnton
7
56.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NC 150 West: Lake Norman Airport, Lincolnton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NC 150 West: Lake Norman Airport, Lincol...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.88 one way
$21.77 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.90 | $23.80 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.88 | $25.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.37 | $30.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.31 | $3.34 |
| Efficient EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.74 | $4.45 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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
Denver, NC
Late night in Denver on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
32 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
1h 28m 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 cruise. You will navigate via West 1st Street, Marshall Street South, and US 158 West, as the route features a 0% highway share. Because this path relies entirely on local roads, you should prepare for a slower, more deliberate pace compared to typical high-speed corridors. The road demands your full attention as you wind through the local landscape, offering a driving experience defined by frequent turns rather than long, straight stretches. It is an ideal route for those who prefer local navigation over the fast-paced environment of major highways.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 77. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.6 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Winston-Salem, NC and Denver, NC, road signs point toward Statesville, Charlotte and Lincolnton.
Statesville
5.3 mi in
|
~7m
Charlotte
40.5 mi in
|
~46m
Lincolnton
56.4 mi in
|
~1h 6m
About the Cities
Starting in Winston-Salem, NC
Full guide →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.
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 1h 28m. Total distance: 69.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.3 miles on I 40. 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 Denver, 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Denver, 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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