How far is Durham, NC from Kings Mountain, NC?

The driving distance from Durham, NC to Kings Mountain, NC is about 170.8 miles (274.8 km), with a travel time of about 03h 17m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 146.6 miles (236 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 35m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
170.73 mi
03h 17m
Flight
146.62 mi
235.96 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Durham.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
146.62 mi
Kilometers
235.96 km
Flight Time
00h 17m

Driving Distance

Road route
170.73 mi
Kilometers
274.76 km
Drive Time
03h 17m

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 03h 17m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kings Mountain
Thu, Apr 23, 10:10 AM EDT
Return by in Durham
Thu, Apr 23, 1:27 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Durham
2026-04-23T06:52
Arrive Kings Mountain
Thu, Apr 23, 10:10 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 17m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:18 AM to 11:18 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:24 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Durham
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Lexington
NC

City in and county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States

From Durham
85.3 mi
01h 38m
To Kings Mountain
85.4 mi
01h 38m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph NW
Destination
83°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Durham and Kings Mountain.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Durham and Kings Mountain.

  1. 1

    Start on East Main Street

    700 ft · 24 sec · East Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Mangum Street

    1691 ft · 48 sec · South Mangum Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Jackie Robinson Drive

    65 m · 7 sec · Jackie Robinson Drive

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight

    154 m · 13 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Durham Freeway

    5 mi · 7 min · Durham Freeway

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    40.6 mi · 47 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right

    7.7 mi · 9 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte

    5.4 mi · 6 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    108 mi · 2 hr 2 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 74 West: Kings Mountain, Shelby

    3242 ft · 50 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway

    2 mi · 2 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 216: Kings Mountain, Cherryville, Downtown

    1476 ft · 36 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on NC 216 South: Kings Mountain, Downtown

    35 m · 3 sec

  14. 14

    Turn left onto North Piedmont Avenue

    2553 ft · 1 min · North Piedmont Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn left

    26 m · 6 sec

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Durham and Kings Mountain.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
16 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 85 Business South
113 mi · 66%
Durham Freeway
53.3 mi · 31%
Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
2.04 mi · 1%
US 74 West
0.61 mi
North Piedmont Avenue
0.48 mi
South Mangum Street
0.32 mi
Longest Stretch

I 85 Business South

Keep slight left

108 mi · 02h 02m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 17m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+24.2 mi
146.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lexington
01h 38m from Durham
Leave By
10:24 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Durham and Sunny near Kings Mountain.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Durham to Kings Mountain?

The road trip is about 170.8 miles (274.8 km) and usually takes 03h 17m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lexington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 85.3 miles from Durham and 85.4 miles from Kings Mountain.

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

The direct path is about 146.6 miles (236 km), while the road route adds roughly 24.2 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 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:24 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.88 one way or $47.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 53.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Durham and Sunny near Kings Mountain.

Stop Ideas Near Lexington

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lexington, 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 Lexington.

RAIL

Lexington

Center St. and railroad tracks
RAIL

Salisbury

25 mi away
Depot and Liberty Sts.
RAIL

High Point

27 mi away
100 West High St
BUS

Winston-Salem State Univ, Winston-Salem, North Car

30 mi away
601 South Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Durham and Kings Mountain. Straight-line distance: 146.62 mi (235.96 km).

Durham

#1 Durham

The third most populous city in North Carolina and the center of the Durham metropolitan area.

Population285,897
Coordinates35.9940300, -78.8986200
Altitude123
CountryUnited States
Kings Mountain

#2 Kings Mountain

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

Population11,118
Coordinates35.2451300, -81.3411900
Altitude307
CountryUnited States
Start: Durham (-78.89862, 35.99403)
End: Kings Mountain (-81.34119, 35.24513)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 275 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 24m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 50m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.03 gal
22.81 L · about $23.88
Round trip
$47.77
12.06 gal · 45.62 L
Estimated CO2
53.6 kg one way
Round trip: 107.2 kg / 236 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $23.88 $47.77
Mid-grade $4.43 $26.71 $53.41
Premium $4.78 $28.81 $57.62
Diesel $5.62 $33.91 $67.83

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Durham and Kings Mountain. The current time is 06:52:40.

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.