Origin
Sandy Springs, GA
Afternoon in Sandy Springs on Friday
Local time
12:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
72.1 mi
116 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ellijay, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA covers 72.1 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Boylston Drive Northeast, Hilderbrand Drive Northeast, Roswell Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 72.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 27m drive with frequent turns across 72.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Boylston Drive Northeast is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA is easy. At 1h 27m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Boylston Drive Northeast | — | — |
| Hilderbrand Drive Northeast | — | — |
| Roswell Road | — | — |
| I 285 West | — | — |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | — | — |
| I 75 | — | — |
| I 75 North | — | — |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Boylston Drive Northeast
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sandy Springs, GA and Ellijay, GA.
1
Start on Mount Vernon Highway
374 ft
·
12 sec
·
Mount Vernon Highway
2
Turn right onto Boylston Drive Northeast
505 ft
·
25 sec
·
Boylston Drive Northeast
3
Turn right onto Hilderbrand Drive Northeast
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Hilderbrand Drive Northeast
4
Turn left onto Roswell Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Roswell Road
5
Take the ramp slight right toward I 285 West: Dorothy Felton Interchange
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 285 West: Dorothy Felton Interchange
6
Merge slight left onto Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 75: Atlanta, Marietta, Chattanooga
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 75: Atlanta, Marietta, Chattanooga
8
Keep slight right to continue on I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
9
Keep slight left to continue on I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
10
Merge slight left onto Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight right to continue on Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
24 mi
·
25 min
·
Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
12
Continue on A P D Highway
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
A P D Highway
13
Continue on APD Highway
25 mi
·
30 min
·
APD Highway
14
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
1st Avenue
15
At the end of the road, turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
16
Turn right onto North Church Street
43 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Church Street
17
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.1 mi from Sandy Springs, GA · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.1 miles from Sandy Springs, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ellijay, GA
The final approach into Ellijay, GA 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
$11.27 one way
$22.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.33 | $24.66 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.34 | $26.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.92 | $31.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.57 | $3.46 |
| Efficient EV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.8 | 0 | $10.09 | $4.61 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Ellijay, GA
Afternoon in Ellijay on Friday
Local time
12:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Canton, GA
36 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
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 27m 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 Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA covers 72.1 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Boylston Drive Northeast, Hilderbrand Drive Northeast, Roswell Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.1 miles from Sandy Springs, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.27 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.
The drive from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA is easy. At 1h 27m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sandy Springs, GA to Ellijay, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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