Origin
Lakeland, TN
Late night in Lakeland on Saturday
Local time
4:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakeland, TN to Memphis, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
23.7 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeland, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Memphis, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Lakeland to Memphis covers a quick 23.7 miles, typically taking about 24 minutes to complete. Because this is such a short commute within the Southeast, you can easily handle the entire trip in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $4 on fuel for the journey, making it a very affordable connection between these two Tennessee locations. You will navigate primarily via Canada Road, the Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway, and I-240 West. This route serves as a straightforward local transit rather than a long-haul excursion, offering you maximum flexibility for your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 23.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition from Lakeland toward the heart of Memphis. With zero highway share, you will primarily navigate surface streets and local corridors rather than monotonous interstate stretches. The journey lacks any significant long, uninterrupted highway segments, requiring you to stay alert for frequent turns. As you progress through the 23.7-mile route, the character of the road shifts from suburban local roads to more urbanized traffic patterns. It is a practical, functional drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 11 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 13.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 8 significant decision points across 23.7 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 0.8 miles (I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 40
Take the exit onto I 40 toward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississippi, Little Rock
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 10A-B
Toward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississip...
8
10 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10B
Toward I 40 West: Little Rock
6
21.2 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
23.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Second Street, Third Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1A
Toward Second Street, Third Street
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 Lakeland, TN to Memphis, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
Little Rock
9.9 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 40
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 13.3 mi | 16m |
| Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Canada Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Leeward Slopes Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Poplar Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 13.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeland, TN and Memphis, TN.
1
Start on Leeward Slopes Lane
229 ft
·
15 sec
·
Leeward Slopes Lane
2
At end of road, turn left onto Canada Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Canada Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
4
Merge onto I 40
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto I 40
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 40
Exit 10A-B
Toward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississippi, Little Rock
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 40
Exit 10B
Toward I 40 West: Little Rock
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 40
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 1A
Toward Second Street, Third Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on North 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Poplar Avenue
202 ft
·
4 sec
·
Poplar Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
Poplar Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 11.9 mi from Lakeland, TN · 14m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
12 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 23.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 11.9 miles from Lakeland, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Memphis, TN
The final approach into Memphis, 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 Memphis, 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
$3.71 one way
$7.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.56 | $9.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Memphis, TN
Late night in Memphis on Saturday
Local time
4:50 AM
CDT
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
1 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
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 Lakeland, TN to Memphis, TN covers 23.7 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway, Canada Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.9 miles from Lakeland, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.71 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 is a demanding drive. With 8 significant decision points across 23.7 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Lakeland, TN to Memphis, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
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 EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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