How far is Sugar Mountain, NC from Elk Park, NC?

The driving distance from Sugar Mountain, NC to Elk Park, NC is about 11.4 miles (18.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 6.9 miles (11.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
11.45 mi
00h 26m
Flight
6.9 mi
11.11 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sugar Mountain.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
6.9 mi
Kilometers
11.11 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
11.45 mi
Kilometers
18.43 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 00h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elk Park
Sat, Apr 18, 5:46 AM EDT
Return by in Sugar Mountain
Sat, Apr 18, 6:13 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sugar Mountain
2026-04-18T05:20
Arrive Elk Park
Sat, Apr 18, 5:46 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:38 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Sugar Mountain
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Banner Elk
NC

Township in Avery County, North Carolina

From Sugar Mountain
5.7 mi
00h 13m
To Elk Park
5.7 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSW
Destination
73°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sugar Mountain and Elk Park.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sugar Mountain and Elk Park.

  1. 1

    Start on Slope View Road

    111 m · 16 sec · Slope View Road

  2. 2

    Keep slight right to continue on Beech View

    963 ft · 1 min · Beech View

  3. 3

    Turn sharp left onto Mossy Creek Lane

    619 ft · 41 sec · Mossy Creek Lane

  4. 4

    Continue on Mossy Creek Lane

    1204 ft · 56 sec · Mossy Creek Lane

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Sugar Mountain Drive

    1.2 km · 2 min · Sugar Mountain Drive

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Tynecastle Highway

    2.2 mi · 5 min · Tynecastle Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on Shawneehaw Avenue South

    2524 ft · 2 min · Shawneehaw Avenue South

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Main Street West

    1.4 km · 2 min · Main Street West

  9. 9

    Continue on Banner Elk Highway

    6 mi · 11 min · Banner Elk Highway

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto North US Highway 19E

    2927 ft · 59 sec · North US Highway 19E

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North US Highway 19E

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sugar Mountain and Elk Park.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
11 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
95.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Banner Elk Highway
6.03 mi · 53%
Tynecastle Highway
2.19 mi · 19%
Main Street West
0.88 mi · 8%
Sugar Mountain Drive
0.73 mi · 6%
North US Highway 19E
0.55 mi · 5%
Shawneehaw Avenue South
0.48 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Banner Elk Highway

Continue on Banner Elk Highway

6.03 mi · 00h 11m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.5 mi
6.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Banner Elk
00h 13m from Sugar Mountain
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Sugar Mountain and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Elk Park.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sugar Mountain to Elk Park?

The road trip is about 11.4 miles (18.4 km) and usually takes 00h 26m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Banner Elk is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.7 miles from Sugar Mountain and 5.7 miles from Elk Park.

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

The direct path is about 6.9 miles (11.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.5 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.58 one way or $3.17 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Sugar Mountain and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Elk Park.

Stop Ideas Near Banner Elk

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

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

RAIL

Gastonia

118 mi away
350 Hancock Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sugar Mountain and Elk Park. Straight-line distance: 6.9 mi (11.11 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Sugar Mountain

Village in Avery County, North Carolina, United States

Population197
Coordinates36.1273500, -81.8601100
Altitude1341
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Elk Park

Township in Avery County, North Carolina

Population450
Coordinates36.1573500, -81.9781700
Altitude962
CountryUnited States
Start: Sugar Mountain (-81.86011, 36.12735)
End: Elk Park (-81.97817, 36.15735)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 18 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.4 gal
1.53 L · about $1.58
Round trip
$3.17
0.8 gal · 3.06 L
Estimated CO2
3.6 kg one way
Round trip: 7.1 kg / 16 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $1.58 $3.17
Mid-grade $4.43 $1.77 $3.54
Premium $4.78 $1.91 $3.82
Diesel $5.62 $2.25 $4.50

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Sugar Mountain and Elk Park. The current time is 05:20:18.

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.