Skip to main content

Trip from Chattanooga, TN to Dandridge, TN

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 43m

Distance

142 mi

229 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 33m ★
6 AM
2h 44m
8 AM
3h 5m
10 AM
2h 51m
12 PM
2h 49m
3 PM
2h 52m
5 PM
3h 4m
8 PM
2h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States

Chattanooga, TN

Wikimedia Commons

town in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States

Dandridge, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Chattanooga, TN to Dandridge, TN covers 142 miles and takes about 2h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 75, I 40, I 24 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.2 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.20 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

71 miles from Chattanooga, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 22m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 43m. Total distance: 142 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 43m highway drive covering 142 miles, with most of the trip on I 75 and I 40. The longest continuous stretch is about 99.2 miles on I 75.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 99.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and I 40. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Market Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 142 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Market Street

Turn right onto Market Street

Navigation decision point

8
7.3 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 North: Knoxville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 185 B Toward I 75 North: Knoxville
5
8.2 mi into trip | ~12m in | I 75

Merge onto I 75

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
107.4 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in | I 40

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
138.1 mi into trip | ~2h 37m in

Take the exit toward US 25W, US 70: Dandrige

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 25W, US 70: Dandrige

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 99.2 mi 1h 49m
I 40 30.7 mi 34m
I 24 5.8 mi 7m
US 25W 3.4 mi 5m
Market Street 1.2 mi 3m
Chestnut Hill Road <0.1 mi <1m
West Martin Luther King Boulevard <0.1 mi <1m
East Main Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 99.2 mi, about 1h 49m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chattanooga, TN and Dandridge, TN.

1

Start on TN 8

80 ft · 6 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard
2

Turn right onto Market Street

1.2 mi · 3 min · Market Street
3

Turn left

0.3 mi · 22 sec
4

Merge onto I 24; US 27

5.8 mi · 7 min · I 24; US 27
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 185 B Toward I 75 North: Knoxville Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 75

99 mi · 1 hr 49 min · I 75
Use the straight lane.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

31 mi · 34 min · I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward US 25W, US 70: Dandrige
9

Turn slight right onto US 25W; US 70

2.8 mi · 4 min · US 25W; US 70
10

Turn slight right

365 ft · 13 sec
11

Turn straight onto US 25W; US 70; SR 92

0.6 mi · 1 min · US 25W; US 70; SR 92
12

Turn right onto SR 92

525 ft · 15 sec · Chestnut Hill Road
13

Turn left onto East Main Street

74 ft · 3 sec · East Main Street
14

Arrive at destination

East Main Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71 miles from Chattanooga, TN, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 31 miles or 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 71 miles or 1h 22m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dandridge, TN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Chattanooga, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Chattanooga, TN

This is one driving day of about 142 miles and 2h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Chattanooga, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 99.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 71 mi from Chattanooga, TN · 1h 22m into the drive

city in Loudon County, Tennessee, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lenoir City, TN

71 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

Cleveland, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Johnson, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 71 miles from Chattanooga, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.2 miles.

Arriving in Dandridge, TN

The final approach into Dandridge, TN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Dandridge, TN.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.20 one way

$44.40 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 50 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $24.37 $48.75
premium $4.89 $27.33 $54.65
diesel $5.61 $31.35 $62.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 49.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42.6 0 $14.91 $6.82
Efficient EV 35.5 0 $12.42 $5.68
EV Truck/SUV 56.8 0 $19.88 $9.09

Gas CO2

50 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Chattanooga, TN

Late night in Chattanooga on Saturday

Local time

3:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Dandridge, TN

Late night in Dandridge on Saturday

Local time

3:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

38 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 43m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Chattanooga, TN to Dandridge, TN covers 142 miles and takes about 2h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 75, I 40, I 24. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 71 miles from Chattanooga, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.20 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 142 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Chattanooga, TN to Dandridge, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Chattanooga, TN or browse trips ending in Dandridge, TN.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TN road trips.