Origin
Johnson City, TN
Evening in Johnson City on Wednesday
Local time
8:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Johnson City, TN to Rossville, TN
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
9h 2m
Distance
481.3 mi
774 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$75
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 54m
★
6 AM
9h 2m
8 AM
9h 19m
10 AM
9h 8m
12 PM
9h 6m
3 PM
9h 9m
5 PM
9h 18m
8 PM
8h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Johnson City, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Rossville, TN
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Johnson City, TN to Rossville, TN covers 481.3 miles and takes about 9h 2m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Buffalo Street, North Roan Street, East Watauga Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $75.25 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
240.6 miles from Johnson City, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 31m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 9h 2m drive with frequent turns across 481.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Buffalo 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Johnson City, TN to Rossville, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Street | — | — |
| North Roan Street | — | — |
| East Watauga Avenue | — | — |
| Oak Street | — | — |
| James H | — | — |
| I 81 South | — | — |
| I 40 West | — | — |
| Nashville | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Buffalo Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Johnson City, TN and Rossville, TN.
1
Start on the route
433 ft
·
35 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
Buffalo Street
3
Turn left onto North Roan Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Roan Street
4
Turn right onto East Watauga Avenue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Watauga Avenue
5
Turn left onto Oak Street
443 ft
·
11 sec
·
Oak Street
6
Take the ramp straight
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
7
Merge slight left onto James H. Quillen Parkway
14 mi
·
16 min
·
James H. Quillen Parkway
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 81 South: Knoxville
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
I 81 South: Knoxville
9
Merge slight left
56 mi
·
1 hr
10
Continue on I 40 West: Knoxville
0.7 mi
·
45 sec
·
I 40 West: Knoxville
11
Merge slight left
53 mi
·
59 min
12
Keep slight right to continue on Nashville
155 mi
·
2 hr 46 min
·
Nashville
13
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
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Huntsville, Memphis
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 40 West: Huntsville, Memphis
15
Merge slight right onto Downtown Loop
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Downtown Loop
16
Continue on Downtown Loop
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Downtown Loop
17
Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Memphis
156 mi
·
2 hr 48 min
·
I 40 West: Memphis
18
Take the exit slight right toward SR 179, SR 76: Whiteville
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
SR 179, SR 76: Whiteville
19
Turn right onto Stanton Koko Road
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Stanton Koko Road
20
At the end of the road, turn right
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
21
Continue straight
4.9 mi
·
7 min
22
Continue straight
10.0 mi
·
14 min
23
At the end of the road, turn left
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
24
Continue straight
15 mi
·
22 min
25
At the end of the road, turn right
8.7 mi
·
12 min
26
Turn right onto Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
27
Turn left onto Front Street
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
Front Street
28
Arrive at your destination
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 240.6 miles from Johnson City, TN, or about 4h 31m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 106 miles or 1h 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 240.6 miles or 4h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 240.6 miles or 4h 31m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rossville, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Johnson City, TN
Aim for roughly 241 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Rossville, TN
Aim for roughly 241 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 106 miles from Johnson City, TN.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 240.6 mi from Johnson City, TN · 4h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
241 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Sparta, TNOvernight Options
Night 1
241 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Sparta, TN after about 241 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 106 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 240.6 miles from Johnson City, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 241 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Rossville, TN
The final approach into Rossville, 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 Rossville, TN.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Rossville, TN with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$75.25 one way
$150.49 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
168 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $82.62 | $165.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $92.62 | $185.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $106.26 | $212.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$75
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$205–$315
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 168.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 144.4 | 1 | $50.54 | $23.10 |
| Efficient EV | 120.3 | 1 | $42.11 | $19.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 192.5 | 2 | $67.38 | $30.80 |
Gas CO2
168 kg
EV CO2
56 kg (67% 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
Rossville, TN
Evening in Rossville on Wednesday
Local time
7:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Sparta, TN
241 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
10 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
9h 2m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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 Rossville, TN covers 481.3 miles and takes about 9h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Buffalo Street, North Roan Street, East Watauga Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 241 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 240.6 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 $75.25 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Johnson City, TN to Rossville, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Johnson City, TN to Rossville, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Rossville, TN
Explore more options from Johnson City, TN or browse trips ending in Rossville, TN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TN road trips.
Explore maps for Johnson City, TN or Rossville, TN on MapSof.net.