How far is Fayetteville, NC from Cherokee, NC?

The driving distance from Fayetteville, NC to Cherokee, NC is about 311.6 miles (501.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 252 miles (405.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 54m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EST.
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
311.61 mi
06h 27m
Flight
251.95 mi
405.48 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fayetteville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
251.95 mi
Kilometers
405.48 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
311.61 mi
Kilometers
501.49 km
Drive Time
06h 27m

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 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cherokee
Sat, Nov 7, 7:28 PM EST
Return by in Fayetteville
Sun, Nov 8, 1:55 AM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fayetteville
2026-11-07T13:01
Arrive Cherokee
Sat, Nov 7, 7:28 PM EST
Route Timing
06h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:27 PM to 1:57 PM EST

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

Leave by
11:06 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fayetteville
8:00 PM EST
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
Statesville
NC

City in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States

From Fayetteville
155.3 mi
03h 13m
To Cherokee
156.3 mi
03h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM EST
Wind
6 to 10 mph N
Destination
63°F
Saturday

Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM EST
Wind
2 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fayetteville and Cherokee.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fayetteville and Cherokee.

  1. 1

    Start on Market Square

    15 m · 2 sec · Market Square

  2. 2

    Exit the rotary onto Hay Street

    2667 ft · 51 sec · Hay Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Bragg Boulevard

    1970 ft · 52 sec · Bragg Boulevard

  4. 4

    Continue on Murchison Road

    8.6 mi · 13 min · Murchison Road

  5. 5

    Continue on South Bragg Boulevard

    2475 ft · 49 sec · South Bragg Boulevard

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on North Bragg Boulevard

    20.9 mi · 30 min · North Bragg Boulevard

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Sanford Bypass

    12.1 mi · 14 min · Sanford Bypass

  8. 8

    Continue on Boone Trail Road

    2156 ft · 29 sec · Boone Trail Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Isaac Brooks Highway

    43.4 mi · 53 min · Isaac Brooks Highway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 85, US 421 North: Winston-Salem, Durham, Charlotte

    1107 ft · 27 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 South, US 421 North: Winston-Salem, Charlotte

    1.3 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Greensboro Urban Loop

    4.8 mi · 5 min · Greensboro Urban Loop

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Greensboro Urban Loop

    6.7 mi · 7 min · Greensboro Urban Loop

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West, US 421 North: Winston-Salem

    5.8 mi · 7 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville

    153.1 mi · 2 hr 54 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left

    25.5 mi · 32 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward US 74 West: Clyde, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Franklin, Murphy, Atlanta

    4.1 mi · 6 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward US 19: Maggie Valley, Cherokee

    23.7 mi · 41 min

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Johnson Arch Road

    45 m · 7 sec · Johnson Arch Road

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Johnson Arch Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fayetteville and Cherokee.

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
20 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 40 West
184 mi · 59%
Isaac Brooks Highway
43.4 mi · 14%
US 19
23.7 mi · 8%
North Bragg Boulevard
20.9 mi · 7%
Sanford Bypass
12.1 mi · 4%
Greensboro Urban Loop
11.5 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

I 40 West

Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Winston-Salem, Statesville

153 mi · 02h 54m

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 27m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+59.6 mi
252 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Statesville
03h 13m from Fayetteville
Leave By
11:06 PM EST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Fayetteville and Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny near Cherokee.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fayetteville to Cherokee?

The road trip is about 311.6 miles (501.5 km) and usually takes 06h 27m 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?

Statesville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 155.3 miles from Fayetteville and 156.3 miles from Cherokee.

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

The direct path is about 252 miles (405.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 59.6 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 EST. 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 $36.45 one way or $72.91 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 97.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Fayetteville and Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny near Cherokee.

Stop Ideas Near Statesville

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

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

RAIL

Kannapolis

39 mi away
201 South Main St.
RAIL

Salisbury

41 mi away
Depot and Liberty Sts.
RAIL

Lexington

58 mi away
Center St. and railroad tracks
RAIL

Charlotte

60 mi away
1914 North Tryon St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fayetteville and Cherokee. Straight-line distance: 251.95 mi (405.48 km).

Fayetteville

#1 Fayetteville

The most populous city in Cumberland County, North Carolina.

Population211,705
Coordinates35.0526600, -78.8783600
Altitude29
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Cherokee

Cherokee is a place in North Carolina, United States.

Population0
Coordinates35.4742700, -83.3148700
Altitude605
CountryUnited States
Start: Fayetteville (-78.87836, 35.05266)
End: Cherokee (-83.31487, 35.47427)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 501 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 47m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 53m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.99 gal
41.62 L · about $36.45
Round trip
$72.91
21.98 gal · 83.24 L
Estimated CO2
97.7 kg one way
Round trip: 195.3 kg / 431 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.32 $36.45 $72.91
Mid-grade $3.77 $41.44 $82.89
Premium $4.20 $46.19 $92.38
Diesel $5.47 $60.06 $120.12

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 · Nov 07, 2026

There is no time difference between Fayetteville and Cherokee. The current time is 13:01:20.

Distance to Other Cities

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