Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 54m
Distance
536.2 mi
863 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$84
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New South Memphis, TN
Dee Hunna
Mountain City, TN
Kelly
The drive from New South Memphis, TN to Mountain City, TN covers 536.2 miles and takes about 9h 54m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 40, Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway, I 81 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 210.5 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $83.83 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
268.1 miles from New South Memphis, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 59m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 210.5 mi | 3h 50m |
| Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway | 196.5 mi | 3h 32m |
| I 81 | 69.1 mi | 1h 14m |
| US 421 | 20.1 mi | 22m |
| Tennessee Ernie Ford Parkway | 12.8 mi | 15m |
| Carl Moore Parkway | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Sam Cooper Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| South Parkway East | 4.4 mi | 7m |
Step-by-step road directions between New South Memphis, TN and Mountain City, TN.
Start on US 61
Turn right onto South Parkway East
Continue on South Parkway East
Continue on South Parkway East
Continue on SR 277
Turn right onto Sam Cooper Boulevard
Continue on I 40
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 40; I 65
Continue on I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn slight right
Turn right onto TN 394; I 81 Alt
Turn right onto US 421
Turn slight left onto US 421
Turn left onto SR 418
Arrive at destination
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.
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 118 miles or 2h 15m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 268.1 miles or 4h 59m 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 268.1 miles or 4h 59m
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 8h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mountain City, TN than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving New South Memphis, 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 New South Memphis, TN
Aim for roughly 268 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Mountain City, TN
Aim for roughly 268 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
177 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
354 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 Kingsport, TNNight 1
268 mi · about 5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Johnson, TN after about 268 miles or 5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 118 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 268.1 miles from New South Memphis, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 210.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 268 miles or 5 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 210.8 and 493.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 North: Bristol
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward SR 394: Blountville, Bristol
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$83.83 one way
$167.66 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $92.04 | $184.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $103.19 | $206.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $118.39 | $236.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$84
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$214–$324
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 187.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 160.9 | 1 | $56.30 | $25.74 |
| Efficient EV | 134.1 | 1 | $46.92 | $21.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 214.5 | 2 | $75.07 | $34.32 |
Gas CO2
188 kg
EV CO2
63 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in New South Memphis on Saturday
Local time
2:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in Mountain City on Saturday
Local time
3:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
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
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
536.2 mi / 9h 54m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: I 40.
At 9h 54m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 210.8 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 536.2 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 210.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 214 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 387.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
Total Climb
3,335 ft
Total Descent
1,174 ft
Highest Point
2,421 ft
~536.2 mi in
Elevation Range
2,160 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New South Memphis, TN and Mountain City, TN, road signs point toward Huntsville, Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Bristol.
Huntsville
Louisville
Knoxville
Chattanooga
Bristol
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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Return Trip
Mountain City, TN to New South Memphis, TNPlan the drive back the other way.
Explore more options from New South Memphis, TN or browse trips ending in Mountain City, TN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TN road trips.
