Trip from Kingsport, TN to Gatlinburg, TN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 2m

Distance

98.5 mi

159 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min

4 AM

1h 53m ★

6 AM

2h 2m

8 AM

2h 20m

10 AM

2h 8m

12 PM

2h 6m

3 PM

2h 9m

5 PM

2h 19m

8 PM

1h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Gatlinburg, TN

Kelly

Trip Overview

The drive from Kingsport, TN to Gatlinburg, TN covers 98.5 miles and takes about 2h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 81, I 40, Winfield Dunn Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.1 miles on I 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.40 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

49.3 miles from Kingsport, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 98.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 2m highway drive covering 98.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 81 and I 40. The longest continuous stretch is about 50.1 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 25 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 50.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and I 40. 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 Broad Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 98.5 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 (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Broad Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 76.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Broad Street

Turn right onto Broad Street

Navigation decision point

0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Broad Street

Enter roundabout onto Broad Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

76.2 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in

Take the exit toward SR 66: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg

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. Toward SR 66: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlin...

76.4 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in

Keep slight left at fork toward SR 66: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward SR 66: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlin...

85.8 mi into trip | ~1h 38m in | Parkway

Turn right onto Parkway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Kingsport, TN to Gatlinburg, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Pigeon Forge along the way.

Pigeon Forge

76.2 mi in | ~1h 26m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 81	50.1 mi	53m
I 40	13.3 mi	14m
Winfield Dunn Parkway	8.7 mi	11m
Parkway	8.3 mi	15m
Gatlinburg Spur Road	4.4 mi	7m
South Wilcox Drive	4 mi	6m
Sullivan Gardens Drive	3.1 mi	3m
TN 93	2.3 mi	2m

Longest stretch: I 81 — 50.1 mi, about 53m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kingsport, TN and Gatlinburg, TN.

Start on TN 36

0.1 mi · 24 sec · West Center Street

Turn right onto Broad Street

436 ft · 12 sec · Broad Street

Enter roundabout onto Broad Street

49 ft · 1 sec · Broad Street

Continue on Broad Street

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Broad Street

Turn left onto East Main Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Main Street

Continue on East Sullivan Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · East Sullivan Street

Turn right onto TN 126

2.6 mi · 4 min · South Wilcox Drive

Turn right onto TN 93

1.5 mi · 1 min · Sullivan Gardens Parkway

Continue on SR 93

1.5 mi · 1 min · South Wilcox Drive

Continue on SR 93

3.1 mi · 3 min · Sullivan Gardens Drive

Continue on TN 93

2.3 mi · 2 min · TN 93

Continue on SR 93

0.3 mi · 21 sec · SR 93

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Merge onto I 81

49 mi · 52 min · I 81

Continue on I 81

0.7 mi · 45 sec · I 81

Exit 1B Toward I 40 West: Knoxville

Merge onto I 40

13 mi · 14 min · I 40

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Toward SR 66: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 16 sec

Toward SR 66: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg

Continue on SR 66

8.7 mi · 11 min · Winfield Dunn Parkway

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Continue on US 441

0.6 mi · 46 sec · Forks of the River Parkway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto Parkway

7.1 mi · 11 min · Parkway

Use the right lane.

Continue on US 321; US 441

4.4 mi · 7 min · Gatlinburg Spur Road

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on US 321; US 441

1.2 mi · 3 min · Parkway

Turn right

408 ft · 30 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 49.3 miles from Kingsport, TN, or about 57m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.1 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 22 miles or 28m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 49.3 miles or 57m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gatlinburg, 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 98.5 miles and 2h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Kingsport, TN.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 50.1 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 49.3 mi from Kingsport, TN · 57m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Sevierville, TN

49 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

Church Hill, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Morristown, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.3 miles from Kingsport, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Gatlinburg, TN

The final approach into Gatlinburg, 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 Gatlinburg, 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

$15.40 one way

$30.80 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$16.91	$33.82
premium	$4.89	$18.96	$37.91
diesel	$5.61	$21.75	$43.50

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	29.5	$10.34	$4.73
Efficient EV	24.6	$8.62	$3.94
EV Truck/SUV	39.4	$13.79	$6.30

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Kingsport, TN

Afternoon in Kingsport on Thursday

Local time

3:36 PM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gatlinburg, TN

Afternoon in Gatlinburg on Thursday

Local time

3:36 PM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

13 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

2h 2m 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 Kingsport, TN to Gatlinburg, TN covers 98.5 miles and takes about 2h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 81, I 40, Winfield Dunn Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 49.3 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 $15.40 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.