Origin
Ripley, MS
Morning in Ripley on Friday
Local time
8:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ripley, MS to Tupelo, MS
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
45.7 mi
73 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ripley, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Tupelo, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ripley, MS to Tupelo, MS covers 45.7 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 22, City Avenue South, US 45 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.8 miles on I 22. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.90 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 45.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Ripley, MS to Tupelo, MS covers 45.7 miles and takes about 1h, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 22 is the longest continuous segment at about 21.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near MS 15 / City Avenue South.
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 45.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.5 miles (MS 15 / City Avenue South): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.1 miles (US 45): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MS 15 / City Avenue South
Turn right onto MS 15 / City Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
20.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the ramp toward I-22 East, US 78 East: Tupelo
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I-22 East, US 78 East: Tupelo
5
43.1 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
US 45
Merge onto US 45
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
44.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Tupelo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Downtown Tupelo
5
45.6 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
West Main Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 22 | 21.8 mi | 23m |
| City Avenue South | 20.2 mi | 30m |
| US 45 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Front Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Walnut Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Spring Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 22
— 21.8 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ripley, MS and Tupelo, MS.
1
Start on West Walnut Street
457 ft
·
22 sec
·
West Walnut Street
2
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
3
Turn right onto MS 15
20 mi
·
30 min
·
City Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I-22 East, US 78 East: Tupelo
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 22; US 78
22 mi
·
23 min
·
I 22; US 78
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 45:south: Tupelo
7
Merge onto US 45
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 45
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Downtown Tupelo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on North Front Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Front Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn right onto West Main Street
322 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto North Spring Street
230 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Spring Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Spring Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.8 mi from Ripley, MS · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.8 miles from Ripley, MS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tupelo, MS
The final approach into Tupelo, MS usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.90 one way
$13.80 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $7.58 | $15.15 |
| premium | $4.56 | $8.20 | $16.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.19 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.40 | $2.92 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Tupelo, MS
Morning in Tupelo on Friday
Local time
8:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
New Albany, MS
23 mi in
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
26 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
1h 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 Ripley, MS to Tupelo, MS covers 45.7 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 22, City Avenue South, US 45. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.8 miles from Ripley, MS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.90 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.7 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MS 15 / City Avenue South): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.1 miles (US 45): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Ripley, MS to Tupelo, MS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail and Tupelo National Battlefield.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry@if($hasFuel), EIA for fuel prices@endif@if($hasWeather), NOAA Climate Normals for seasonal conditions@endif@if($hasElevation), USGS 3DEP for elevation@endif@if($hasEv), NREL for EV charging@endif@if($hasParks), and NPS for national parks@endif. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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