Origin
Johnson City, TN
Morning in Johnson City on Saturday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Johnson City, 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
1h 29m
Distance
78.2 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 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Johnson City, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Dandridge, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Johnson City, TN to Dandridge, TN covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, James H. Quillen Parkway, I 40 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57.1 miles on I 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.61 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 78.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 29m highway drive covering 78.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 81 and James H. Quillen Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 57.1 miles on I 81.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 57.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and James H. Quillen Parkway. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Buffalo Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 78.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 0.1 miles (Buffalo Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (North Roan Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Buffalo Street
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
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.
5
15 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 81 South: Knoxville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 8A
Toward I 81 South: Knoxville
5
75.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward SR 92: Dandrige, Jefferson City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SR 92: Dandrige, Jefferson City
6
75.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SR 92 South: Dandrige
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward SR 92 South: Dandrige
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 57.1 mi | 1h 1m |
| James H. Quillen Parkway | 13.7 mi | 16m |
| I 40 | 3 mi | 3m |
| SR 92 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| East Watauga Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Roan Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Buffalo Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Hill Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 57.1 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Johnson City, TN and Dandridge, 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
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 40
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward SR 92: Dandrige, Jefferson City
13
Keep slight left at fork
262 ft
·
8 sec
Toward SR 92 South: Dandrige
14
Turn left onto SR 92
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
SR 92
15
Turn right onto SR 92
525 ft
·
15 sec
·
Chestnut Hill Road
16
Turn left onto East Main Street
74 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.1 mi from Johnson City, TN · 45m 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 39.1 miles from Johnson City, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.61 one way
$23.22 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $13.09 | $26.19 |
| premium | $4.65 | $14.33 | $28.66 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $16.33 | $32.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.21 | $3.75 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.84 | $3.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.95 | $5.00 |
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
Dandridge, TN
Morning in Dandridge on Saturday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
31 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
1h 29m 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 Johnson City, TN to Dandridge, TN covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, James H. Quillen Parkway, I 40. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.1 miles from Johnson City, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.61 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 0.1 miles (Buffalo Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (North Roan Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Johnson City, TN to Dandridge, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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