The drive from Shelbyville, TN to Johnson, TN covers 168 miles and takes about 3h 25m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 24, I 75, Wattendorf Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 67.6 miles on I 24.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.26 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84 miles from Shelbyville, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 25m. Total distance: 168 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 25m highway drive covering 168 miles, with most of the trip on I 24 and I 75. The longest continuous stretch is about 67.6 miles on I 24.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 24 is the longest continuous segment at about 67.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 24 and I 75. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Spring Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 168 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (North Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 64; SR 130 / Lane Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 99.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|SR 64; SR 130 / Lane Parkway
Turn right onto SR 64; SR 130 / Lane Parkway
Navigation decision point
8
99.7 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 North: Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 185 B
Toward I 75 North: Knoxville
5
100.6 mi into trip|~2h 2m in|I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
161.1 mi into trip|~3h 9m in
Take the exit toward SR 322: Sweetwater
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 62
Toward SR 322: Sweetwater
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 24
67.6 mi
1h 18m
I 75
60.5 mi
1h 7m
Wattendorf Memorial Highway
10.6 mi
14m
US 41A
8 mi
9m
Madison Street
6.2 mi
7m
Oakland Road
5.1 mi
8m
East Depot Street
2.6 mi
3m
Wattendorf Highway
1.7 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 24
— 67.6 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shelbyville, TN and Johnson, TN.
1
Start on Public Square North
223 ft·11 sec·Public Square North
2
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.1 mi·26 sec·North Spring Street
3
Turn right onto SR 64; SR 130
355 ft·7 sec·Lane Parkway
4
Continue on SR 64; SR 82; SR 130
478 ft·8 sec·East Lane Street
5
Continue on SR 64; SR 82; SR 130
0.2 mi·21 sec·North Jefferson Street
6
Turn left onto SR 64; SR 130
1.0 mi·1 min·East Depot Street
7
Continue on SR 64
0.8 mi·1 min·Wartrace Pike
8
Continue on SR 64
1.5 mi·2 min·East Depot Street
9
Turn right onto US 41A
6.2 mi·7 min·Madison Street
10
Continue on UA 41A
0.3 mi·19 sec·UA 41A
11
Merge onto US 41A
8.0 mi·9 min·US 41A
12
Turn left onto SR 55
0.4 mi·32 sec·West Carroll Street
13
Turn right onto South Anderson Street
0.3 mi·51 sec·South Anderson Street
14
Continue on Forrest Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·Forrest Boulevard
15
Continue on Wattendorf Highway
1.7 mi·2 min·Wattendorf Highway
16
Continue on Wattendorf Memorial Highway
11 mi·14 min·Wattendorf Memorial Highway
17
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·15 sec
18
Merge onto I 24
68 mi·1 hr 18 min·I 24
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 185 BToward I 75 North: KnoxvilleUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 75
61 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 75
Use the straight lane.
21
Take the exit
0.4 mi·42 sec
Exit 62Toward SR 322: Sweetwater
22
Turn left onto SR 322
5.1 mi·8 min·Oakland Road
23
Turn left onto Raby Town Road
0.7 mi·2 min·Raby Town Road
24
Keep slight left at fork onto Raby Town Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Raby Town Road
25
Continue on Raby Town Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Raby Town Road
26
Arrive at destination
Raby Town Road
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 84 miles from Shelbyville, TN, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 37 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Johnson, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shelbyville, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Shelbyville, TN
This is one driving day of about 168 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Shelbyville, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 24 for about 67.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 84 mi from Shelbyville, TN
· 1h 43m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Stones River National Battlefield
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.26 one way
$52.53 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$28.84
$57.68
premium
$4.89
$32.33
$64.66
diesel
$5.61
$37.09
$74.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.4
0
$17.64
$8.06
Efficient EV
42
0
$14.70
$6.72
EV Truck/SUV
67.2
0
$23.52
$10.75
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Shelbyville, TN
Late night
in Shelbyville on Saturday
Local time
1:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Johnson, TN
Late night
in Johnson on Saturday
Local time
2:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
3h 25m 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 Shelbyville, TN to Johnson, TN covers 168 miles and takes about 3h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 24, I 75, Wattendorf Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 84 miles from Shelbyville, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.26 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 168 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (North Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 64; SR 130 / Lane Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 99.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Shelbyville, TN to Johnson, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Stones River 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
