Trip from Murfreesboro, TN to Carthage, TN

Drive Time

1h 8m

Distance

56 mi

Route Type

Turn-heavy local drive

Quick day trip

Trip Overview

The drive from Murfreesboro, TN to Carthage, TN covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Main Street, North Church Street, North Public Square for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.31 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.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

28 miles from Murfreesboro, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 34m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 8m drive with frequent turns across 56 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Church Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Public Square	Unavailable	Refreshing
West Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Northwest Broad Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
New Nashville Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 840 East	Unavailable	Refreshing
Tennessee National Guard Parkway	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Murfreesboro, TN and Carthage, TN.

Start on South Spring Street

85 ft · 11 sec · South Spring Street

Turn left onto East Main Street

348 ft · 10 sec · East Main Street

Turn right onto North Church Street

115 ft · 3 sec · North Church Street

Turn slight left onto North Public Square

394 ft · 12 sec · North Public Square

Turn slight right onto West Main Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · West Main Street

Turn right onto Northwest Broad Street

3.7 mi · 5 min · Northwest Broad Street

Continue on New Nashville Highway

0.9 mi · 1 min · New Nashville Highway

Take the ramp slight right toward I 840 East: Knoxville

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 840 East: Knoxville

Merge slight left onto Tennessee National Guard Parkway

21 mi · 22 min · Tennessee National Guard Parkway

Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East: Knoxville, Lebanon

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 40 East: Knoxville, Lebanon

Merge slight left

23 mi · 24 min

Take the exit slight right toward TN 53: Carthage, Gordonsville

0.2 mi · 34 sec · TN 53: Carthage, Gordonsville

Turn left onto Gordonsville Highway

4.9 mi · 7 min · Gordonsville Highway

Turn left onto Upper Ferry Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Upper Ferry Road

Continue on Main Street

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Main Street

Turn right onto East 3rd Avenue

138 ft · 8 sec · East 3rd Avenue

Turn left onto Futtrell Alley

89 ft · 6 sec · Futtrell Alley

Arrive at your destination

When to Leave

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 28 miles from Murfreesboro, TN, or about 34m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Drive Plan

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 8m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 28 miles or 34m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 58m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carthage, TN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Murfreesboro, 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.

Trip Strategy

Day 1

Settle into the route from Murfreesboro, TN

This is one driving day of about 56 miles and 1h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Murfreesboro, TN.

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

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Best Stop Towns on This Route

These towns line up with the pace of this drive and give you clearer places to stop with a purpose.

Late stop town

Meal stop

Hendersonville, TN

28 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.

Travel Advice

Arrival Notes

The final approach into Carthage, 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 Carthage, TN.

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.

Stops Along the Way

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28 mi from Murfreesboro, TN

Hendersonville, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hendersonville, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28 miles from Murfreesboro, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions for the drive, so the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
regular	$3.77	$8.31	$16.63
midgrade	$4.25	$9.38	$18.75
premium	$4.65	$10.26	$20.52
diesel	$5.30	$11.69	$23.39

Based on 25.4 MPG average. Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way.

Travel Intel

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Compare the departure city with the arrival city before you leave so the route feels predictable, not reactive.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Murfreesboro, TN

Late night in Murfreesboro on Saturday

Local time

2:51 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Forecast unavailable right now

CDT Live mapsof forecast

Destination

Carthage, TN

Late night in Carthage on Saturday

Local time

2:51 AM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Forecast unavailable right now

CDT Live mapsof 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

1 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 8m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Murfreesboro, TN to Carthage, TN covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East Main Street, North Church Street, North Public Square. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 28 miles from Murfreesboro, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.31 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.