How far is Bryson City, NC from Wilmington, NC?

The driving distance from Bryson City, NC to Wilmington, NC is about 381.6 miles (614.1 km), with a travel time of about 06h 16m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 323.1 miles (519.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 33m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
381.56 mi
06h 16m
Flight
323.08 mi
519.94 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bryson City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
323.08 mi
Kilometers
519.94 km
Flight Time
00h 38m

Driving Distance

Road route
381.56 mi
Kilometers
614.06 km
Drive Time
06h 16m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 16m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Wilmington
Thu, Apr 16, 5:10 AM EDT
Return by in Bryson City
Thu, Apr 16, 11:26 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bryson City
2026-04-15T22:53
Arrive Wilmington
Thu, Apr 16, 5:10 AM EDT
Route Timing
06h 16m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:17 PM to 1:47 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:26 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Bryson City
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Matthews
NC

Town in North Carolina, United States

From Bryson City
188.2 mi
03h 08m
To Wilmington
193.4 mi
03h 08m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 3:00 PM EDT
Wind
5 mph WSW
Destination
87°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 8:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Bryson City and Wilmington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bryson City and Wilmington.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    19 m · 6 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Bryson Avenue

    137 m · 25 sec · Bryson Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Slope Street

    1582 ft · 57 sec · Slope Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Highway 19 South

    113 m · 8 sec · Highway 19 South

  5. 5

    Continue on Veterans Boulevard

    1.4 km · 2 min · Veterans Boulevard

  6. 6

    Take the ramp straight

    876 ft · 21 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Great Smoky Mountains Expressway

    39.5 mi · 50 min · Great Smoky Mountains Expressway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East: Asheville

    18.5 mi · 23 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 26 East, US 74 East, US 64 Truck East: Hendersonville, Spartanburg

    22.8 mi · 28 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    12 mi · 14 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward US 74 East, NC 108: Columbus, Rutherfordton

    1433 ft · 19 sec · Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway

    810 ft · 11 sec · Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway

    17.9 mi · 20 min · Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on James A. Callahan Highway

    15.2 mi · 17 min · James A. Callahan Highway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward West Dixon Boulevard

    12.4 mi · 18 min · West Dixon Boulevard

  16. 16

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway

    6.8 mi · 8 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway

  18. 18

    Take the exit straight toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg

    572 ft · 8 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte

    1.3 km · 56 sec

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway

    17.6 mi · 21 min · Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on Cameron Morrison Bridge

    8.5 mi · 10 min · Cameron Morrison Bridge

  22. 22

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Charlotte

    1104 ft · 27 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brookshire Boulevard, Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium

    118 m · 11 sec

  24. 24

    Merge slight left onto Brookshire Boulevard

    1677 ft · 22 sec · Brookshire Boulevard

  25. 25

    Continue on Brookshire Freeway

    3.6 mi · 5 min · Brookshire Freeway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight left toward US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Boulevard

    2261 ft · 55 sec

  27. 27

    Merge slight right onto East Independence Expressway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · East Independence Expressway

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on East Independence Boulevard

    109 m · 5 sec · East Independence Boulevard

  29. 29

    Continue on East Independence Expressway

    2.1 mi · 2 min · East Independence Expressway

  30. 30

    Continue on East Independence Boulevard

    2.4 mi · 4 min · East Independence Boulevard

  31. 31

    Continue on Independence Boulevard

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Independence Boulevard

  32. 32

    Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway

    18.7 mi · 22 min · Monroe Expressway

  33. 33

    Merge slight right onto Carroll M. Edwards Highway

    1804 ft · 28 sec · Carroll M. Edwards Highway

  34. 34

    Continue on West Marshville Boulevard

    2.9 mi · 5 min · West Marshville Boulevard

  35. 35

    Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Carroll M. Edwards Highway

  36. 36

    Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    6.1 mi · 8 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  37. 37

    Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    6.7 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  38. 38

    Continue on Salisbury Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Salisbury Street

  39. 39

    Continue on West Caswell Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · West Caswell Street

  40. 40

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    10.2 mi · 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  41. 41

    Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  42. 42

    Continue on G R Kindley Freeway

    14.9 mi · 16 min · G R Kindley Freeway

  43. 43

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    9.7 mi · 12 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  44. 44

    Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    10.3 mi · 11 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  45. 45

    Continue on American Indian Highway

    33.6 mi · 37 min · American Indian Highway

  46. 46

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    59.8 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  47. 47

    Continue on Ocean Highway East

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Ocean Highway East

  48. 48

    Continue on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

    1.2 km · 1 min · Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

  49. 49

    Turn left onto South 3rd Street

    551 ft · 15 sec · South 3rd Street

  50. 50

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South 3rd Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Bryson City and Wilmington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
50 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
5 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Andrew Jackson Highway
105 mi · 27%
Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
39.5 mi · 10%
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi · 9%
I 26 East
22.8 mi · 6%
Monroe Expressway
18.7 mi · 5%
I 40 East
18.5 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Andrew Jackson Highway

Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

59.8 mi · 01h 13m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 16m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+58.5 mi
323.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Matthews
03h 08m from Bryson City
Leave By
11:26 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Bryson City and Sunny near Wilmington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Bryson City to Wilmington?

The road trip is about 381.6 miles (614.1 km) and usually takes 06h 16m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Matthews is a useful midpoint, sitting about 188.2 miles from Bryson City and 193.4 miles from Wilmington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 323.1 miles (519.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 58.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $53.32 one way or $106.63 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 119.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Bryson City and Sunny near Wilmington.

Stop Ideas Near Matthews

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Matthews, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Matthews.

RAIL

Charlotte

17 mi away
1914 North Tryon St.
RAIL

Gastonia

43 mi away
350 Hancock Street
RAIL

Kannapolis

44 mi away
201 South Main St.
RAIL

Salisbury

66 mi away
Depot and Liberty Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bryson City and Wilmington. Straight-line distance: 323.08 mi (519.94 km).

Bryson City

#1 Bryson City

City in Swain County, North Carolina, United States of America

Population1,443
Coordinates35.4312700, -83.4494400
Altitude528
CountryUnited States
Wilmington

#2 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Start: Bryson Avenue (-83.449358, 35.431136)
End: South 3rd Street (-77.944833, 34.225717)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 614 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 37m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 45m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.46 gal
50.97 L · about $53.32
Round trip
$106.63
26.92 gal · 101.94 L
Estimated CO2
119.6 kg one way
Round trip: 239.2 kg / 527 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $53.32 $106.63
Mid-grade $4.43 $59.61 $119.23
Premium $4.78 $64.31 $128.62
Diesel $5.62 $75.70 $151.40

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in North Carolina · Apr 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Bryson City and Wilmington. The current time is 22:53:48.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.