Origin
Ellijay, GA
Afternoon in Ellijay on Friday
Local time
3:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
78.5 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ellijay, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 78.5-mile drive from Ellijay, GA, to Atlanta, GA, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 21 minutes. You'll be navigating local roads for the entire journey, with no highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $13, making it an economical option. Given its relatively short distance and turn-heavy nature, it's best suited for a relaxed pace rather than an overnight stay. This trip keeps you within the Southeast region, specifically within Georgia.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 78.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 78.5-mile journey. Since the highway share is 0%, you won't encounter any high-speed interstate stretches. The route progresses through a series of local roads, including North Main Street, Northside Square, and River Street, meaning you'll be navigating town centers and connecting roads. The absence of a 'longest stretch' designation suggests frequent intersections and changes in direction, so staying attentive to your navigation is key throughout the drive.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA is easy. At 1h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Main Street | — | — |
| Northside Square | — | — |
| River Street | — | — |
| APD Highway | — | — |
| A P D Highway | — | — |
| Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway | — | — |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | — | — |
| Horace E Tate Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ellijay, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on North Church Street
420 ft
·
24 sec
·
North Church Street
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
413 ft
·
15 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Enter the roundabout and take exit 5 toward Northside Square
312 ft
·
18 sec
·
Northside Square
4
Exit the rotary onto River Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
5
Turn slight right
443 ft
·
13 sec
6
Take the ramp slight right
144 ft
·
4 sec
7
Merge slight left onto APD Highway
25 mi
·
30 min
·
APD Highway
8
Continue on A P D Highway
10 mi
·
10 min
·
A P D Highway
9
Continue on Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
11
Merge slight left onto Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
12
Continue on Horace E Tate Freeway
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Horace E Tate Freeway
13
Continue on Downtown Connector
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Downtown Connector
14
Take the exit slight right toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field
15
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
289 ft
·
13 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
16
Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Capitol Square Southwest
17
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
318 ft
·
6 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
18
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.2 mi from Ellijay, GA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Ellijay, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Atlanta, GA
The final approach into Atlanta, GA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.28 one way
$24.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $13.42 | $26.84 |
| premium | $4.70 | $14.53 | $29.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.33 | $34.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.6 | 0 | $8.24 | $3.77 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.4 | 0 | $10.99 | $5.02 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Atlanta, GA
Afternoon in Atlanta on Friday
Local time
3:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 12:31PM EDT until April 13 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 11:57AM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC
53°F
Canton, GA
39 mi in
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
32 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 21m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA covers 78.5 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Main Street, Northside Square, River Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.2 miles from Ellijay, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.28 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.
The drive from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA is easy. At 1h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ellijay, GA to Atlanta, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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