Origin
Johnson City, TN
Afternoon in Johnson City on Saturday
Local time
4:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Johnson City, TN to Cornersville, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 15m
Distance
340.2 mi
547 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 3m
★
6 AM
6h 16m
8 AM
6h 41m
10 AM
6h 25m
12 PM
6h 22m
3 PM
6h 26m
5 PM
6h 40m
8 PM
6h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Johnson City, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Cornersville, TN
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Johnson City, TN to Cornersville, TN covers 340.2 miles and takes about 6h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, I 81, Tennessee National Guard Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 185.5 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $53.19 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
170.1 miles from Johnson City, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 9m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 185.5 mi | 3h 22m |
| I 81 | 57.1 mi | 1h 1m |
| Tennessee National Guard Parkway | 44.6 mi | 47m |
| I 65 | 30.5 mi | 32m |
| James H. Quillen Parkway | 13.7 mi | 16m |
| Lynnville Highway | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| East Watauga Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Roan Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 185.5 mi, about 3h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Johnson City, TN and Cornersville, TN.
1
Start on this road
433 ft
·
35 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
Buffalo Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto North Roan Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Roan Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto SR 400
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Watauga Avenue
5
Turn left onto Oak Street
441 ft
·
10 sec
·
Oak Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
7
Merge onto I 26; US 19W; US 23
14 mi
·
16 min
·
James H. Quillen Parkway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 8A
Toward I 81 South: Knoxville
9
Merge onto I 81
56 mi
·
1 hr
·
I 81
10
Continue on I 81
0.7 mi
·
45 sec
·
I 81
Exit 1B
Toward I 40 West: Knoxville
11
Merge onto I 40
53 mi
·
59 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
133 mi
·
2 hr 22 min
·
I 40
Toward Nashville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 235
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 840
45 mi
·
47 min
·
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 31
Toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
1.6 mi
·
2 min
Exit 31A
Toward I 65 South: Huntsville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 65
31 mi
·
32 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 27
Toward 129
19
Turn left onto SR 129
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Lynnville Highway
20
Continue on SR 129
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Lynnville Road
21
At end of road, turn right onto US 31A; SR 129
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Main Street
22
Turn left onto Ruth Flye Avenue
105 ft
·
4 sec
·
Ruth Flye Avenue
23
Arrive at destination
Ruth Flye Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 170.1 miles from Johnson City, TN, or about 3h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 185.5 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 75 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 170.1 miles or 3h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cornersville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Johnson City, 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 Johnson City, TN
This is one driving day of about 340.2 miles and 6h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 miles from Johnson City, 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 40 for about 185.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
170 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 75 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 170.1 miles from Johnson City, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 185.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 303.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North Roan Street
Turn left onto North Roan Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
125.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 20m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward Nashville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Nashville
8
257.8 mi into trip
|
~4h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 235
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
8
303.5 mi into trip
|
~5h 32m in
Take the exit toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31
Toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville
8
303.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 65 South: Huntsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward I 65 South: Huntsville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$53.19 one way
$106.37 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
119 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $58.40 | $116.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $65.47 | $130.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $75.11 | $150.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 102.1 | 1 | $35.72 | $16.33 |
| Efficient EV | 85.1 | 0 | $29.77 | $13.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 136.1 | 1 | $47.63 | $21.77 |
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Cornersville, TN
Afternoon in Cornersville on Saturday
Local time
3:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Johnson, TN
170 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
5 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
6h 15m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Stones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 281.5
View on nps.gov
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of it...
28 mi from route
~69 min detour
Free
near mile 82.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
340.2 mi in 6h 15m, mostly highway — 185.5 mi of that is on I 40.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 185.5 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North Roan Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 340.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North Roan Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 125.1 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 257.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Johnson City, TN and Cornersville, TN, road signs point toward Nashville, Murfreesboro and Huntsville.
Nashville
125.1 mi in
|
~2h 20m
|
via I 40
Murfreesboro
257.8 mi in
|
~4h 43m
Huntsville
303.5 mi in
|
~5h 32m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 15m. Total distance: 340.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 15m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 185.5 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cornersville, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North Roan Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 125.1 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 257.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cornersville, TN before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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