The drive from Kingsport, TN to Lafayette, TN covers 252.6 miles and takes about 4h 59m 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, Jennings Creek Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 140.6 miles on I 40.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.49 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
126.3 miles from Kingsport, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 22m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 59m. Total distance: 252.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 59m highway drive covering 252.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and I 81. The longest continuous stretch is about 140.6 miles on I 40.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 140.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 81. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Broad Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 252.6 miles you will encounter 20 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 (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Broad Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 62.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Broad Street
Turn right onto Broad Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Broad Street
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
62.9 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
115.7 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward Nashville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Nashville
5
203.6 mi into trip|~3h 45m in
Take the exit toward TN 56 North: Baxter, Gainesboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward TN 56 North: Baxter, Gainesboro
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kingsport, TN and Lafayette, TN, road signs point toward Nashville and Gainesboro.
Nashville
115.7 mi in|~2h 11m|via I 40
Gainesboro
203.6 mi in|~3h 45m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
140.6 mi
2h 34m
I 81
50.1 mi
53m
Jennings Creek Highway
12.6 mi
18m
South Grundy Quarles Memorial Highway
12.1 mi
18m
SR 52
11.6 mi
17m
Gundy Quarels Memorial Highway
5.4 mi
8m
Hudson Creek Highway
4.7 mi
6m
South Wilcox Drive
4 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 140.6 mi, about 2h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kingsport, TN and Lafayette, TN.
1
Start on TN 36
0.1 mi·24 sec·West Center Street
2
Turn right onto Broad Street
436 ft·12 sec·Broad Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
49 ft·1 sec·Broad Street
4
Continue on Broad Street
0.1 mi·21 sec·Broad Street
5
Turn left onto East Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East Main Street
6
Continue on East Sullivan Street
0.2 mi·23 sec·East Sullivan Street
7
Turn right onto TN 126
2.6 mi·4 min·South Wilcox Drive
8
Turn right onto TN 93
1.5 mi·1 min·Sullivan Gardens Parkway
9
Continue on SR 93
1.5 mi·1 min·South Wilcox Drive
10
Continue on SR 93
3.1 mi·3 min·Sullivan Gardens Drive
11
Continue on TN 93
2.3 mi·2 min·TN 93
12
Continue on SR 93
0.3 mi·21 sec·SR 93
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
14
Merge onto I 81
49 mi·52 min·I 81
15
Continue on I 81
0.7 mi·45 sec·I 81
Exit 1BToward I 40 West: Knoxville
16
Merge onto I 40
53 mi·59 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
88 mi·1 hr 34 min·I 40
Toward Nashville
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward TN 56 North: Baxter, Gainesboro
19
Turn right onto SR 56
5.4 mi·8 min·Gundy Quarels Memorial Highway
20
Continue on SR 56
12 mi·18 min·South Grundy Quarles Memorial Highway
21
Turn left onto SR 56; SR 85; SR 135
6.6 mi·9 min·Jennings Creek Highway
22
Keep slight left at fork onto SR 56
6.0 mi·8 min·Jennings Creek Highway
23
Turn right onto SR 151
4.7 mi·6 min·Hudson Creek Highway
24
Continue on SR 151
0.3 mi·26 sec·Red Boiling Sprgs Highway
25
Continue on SR 151
1.5 mi·2 min·North Springs Road
26
Turn left
0.2 mi·44 sec
27
Turn left onto SR 52
12 mi·17 min·SR 52
Use the straight lane.
28
Turn right onto SR 261
0.2 mi·26 sec·Red Boiling Springs Road
29
Turn right onto TN 10; TN 261
91 ft·1 sec·Public Square
30
Enter roundabout
364 ft·7 sec
31
Arrive at 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 126.3 miles from Kingsport, TN, or about 2h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140.6 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 56 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 126.3 miles or 2h 22m 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 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kingsport, 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 Kingsport, TN
This is one driving day of about 252.6 miles and 4h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Kingsport, 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 140.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 126.3 mi from Kingsport, TN
· 2h 22m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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 78.4
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.8
0
$26.52
$12.12
Efficient EV
63.2
0
$22.10
$10.10
EV Truck/SUV
101
1
$35.36
$16.17
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
30 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Kingsport, TN
Late night
in Kingsport on Saturday
Local time
12:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lafayette, TN
Night
in Lafayette on Friday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Spring City, TN
126 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
8 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
4h 59m 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 Kingsport, TN to Lafayette, TN covers 252.6 miles and takes about 4h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, I 81, Jennings Creek Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 126.3 miles from Kingsport, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $39.49 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 252.6 miles you will encounter 20 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 (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Broad Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 62.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Kingsport, TN and Lafayette, TN, road signs point toward Nashville and Gainesboro.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
