Origin
Gatlinburg, TN
Afternoon in Gatlinburg on Sunday
Local time
4:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gatlinburg, TN to Clarksville, TN
Drive Time
4h 30m
Distance
269.7 mi
434 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 17m
★
6 AM
4h 31m
8 AM
4h 58m
10 AM
4h 40m
12 PM
4h 38m
3 PM
4h 42m
5 PM
4h 56m
8 PM
4h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clarksville, TN
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Gatlinburg, TN to Clarksville, TN covers 269.7 miles and takes about 4h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Parkway, Gatlinburg Spur Road, US 411 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.96 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
134.9 miles from Gatlinburg, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 15m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 30m drive with frequent turns across 269.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Parkway 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 30m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Gatlinburg, TN to Clarksville, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Gatlinburg Spur Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 411 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Forks of the River Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Chapman Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Henley Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Western Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Parkway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gatlinburg, TN and Clarksville, TN.
1
Start on the route
52 ft
·
4 sec
·
the route
2
Turn slight right
354 ft
·
32 sec
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto Parkway
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Parkway
4
Continue on Gatlinburg Spur Road
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Gatlinburg Spur Road
5
Continue on Parkway
7.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Parkway
6
Take the exit left toward US 411 North
125 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 411 North
7
Turn left onto Forks of the River Parkway
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Forks of the River Parkway
8
Turn left onto West Main Street
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
9
Continue on Chapman Highway
22 mi
·
26 min
·
Chapman Highway
10
Continue on Henley Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Henley Street
11
Continue on Henley Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Henley Street
12
Turn slight left onto Western Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Western Avenue
13
Turn left onto Ailor Avenue
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Ailor Avenue
14
Take the ramp straight toward I 40 West, I 75 South
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 40 West, I 75 South
15
Merge slight left
18 mi
·
21 min
16
Keep slight right to continue on Nashville
155 mi
·
2 hr 46 min
·
Nashville
17
Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
18
Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
19
Merge slight left onto Downtown Loop
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Downtown Loop
20
Continue on I 24 West, I 65 North: Clarksville, Louisville
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 24 West, I 65 North: Clarksville, Louisville
21
Take the exit slight left toward I 24 West: Clarksville
34 mi
·
36 min
·
I 24 West: Clarksville
22
Take the exit slight right toward TN 76
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
TN 76
23
Keep slight left
282 ft
·
10 sec
24
Continue straight
3.4 mi
·
3 min
25
Turn right onto Madison Street
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Madison Street
26
Turn right onto University Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
University Avenue
27
At the end of the road, turn left onto College Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
College Street
28
Turn left onto North 2nd Street
135 ft
·
3 sec
·
North 2nd Street
29
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 134.9 miles from Gatlinburg, TN, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134.9 miles or 2h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clarksville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Gatlinburg, 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 Gatlinburg, TN
This is one driving day of about 269.7 miles and 4h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Gatlinburg, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 134.9 mi from Gatlinburg, TN · 2h 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
135 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 134.9 miles from Gatlinburg, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clarksville, TN
The final approach into Clarksville, 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 Clarksville, 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
$40.96 one way
$81.93 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $45.16 | $90.32 |
| premium | $4.80 | $50.91 | $101.83 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $59.92 | $119.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.9 | 0 | $28.32 | $12.95 |
| Efficient EV | 67.4 | 0 | $23.60 | $10.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.9 | 1 | $37.76 | $17.26 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Clarksville, TN
Afternoon in Clarksville on Sunday
Local time
3:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
61°F
Johnson, TN
135 mi in
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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
11 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
4h 30m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Gatlinburg, TN to Clarksville, TN covers 269.7 miles and takes about 4h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Parkway, Gatlinburg Spur Road, US 411 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 134.9 miles from Gatlinburg, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $40.96 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 30m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Gatlinburg, TN to Clarksville, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Gatlinburg, TN to Clarksville, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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