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Trip from Athens, TN to Calhoun, TN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

22m

Distance

14.7 mi

24 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 20m ★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States

Athens, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Calhoun, TN, TN

Calhoun, TN

Kelly

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick, straightforward trip in Southeast Tennessee, the 14.7-mile drive from Athens to Calhoun is an ideal choice. Covering this distance takes roughly 22 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You won't need to worry about lodging or overnight planning, as the duration is very manageable. Budgeting about $2 for fuel should comfortably cover the journey between these two towns. Because the entire route remains within the same region, you can expect a consistent local atmosphere from start to finish.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Madison Avenue 7.1 mi 10m
Lee Highway 6.9 mi 10m
Washington Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Etowah Road 0.2 mi <1m
Main Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: West Madison Avenue — 7.1 mi, about 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Athens, TN and Calhoun, TN.

1

Start on SR 39

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Washington Avenue
2

Turn straight onto SR 39

7.1 mi · 10 min · West Madison Avenue
3

At end of road, turn left onto US 11

6.9 mi · 10 min · Lee Highway
4

Turn left onto TN 163

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Etowah Road
5

Turn left onto Main Street

112 ft · 4 sec · Main Street
6

Arrive at destination

Main Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

3 of 3

3 decision points cluster between mile 7.5 and 14.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
7.5 mi into trip | ~11m in | US 11 / Lee Highway

At end of road, turn left onto US 11 / Lee Highway

Navigation decision point

4
14.4 mi into trip | ~21m in | TN 163 / Etowah Road

Turn left onto TN 163 / Etowah Road

Navigation decision point

5
14.6 mi into trip | ~22m in | Main Street

Turn left onto Main Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.17 one way

$4.34 round trip

$3.75/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.14 $2.40 $4.79
premium $4.72 $2.73 $5.46
diesel $4.80 $2.78 $5.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.4 0 $1.54 $0.71
Efficient EV 3.7 0 $1.29 $0.59
EV Truck/SUV 5.9 0 $2.06 $0.94

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 Jul 19, 2026

Origin

Athens, TN

Morning in Athens on Sunday

Local time

11:06 AM

EDT

Current temp

71°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Clear

0 mph 31% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 11:10PM CDT until July 19 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 11:10PM CDT until July 19 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

Destination

Calhoun, TN

Morning in Calhoun on Sunday

Local time

11:06 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Mostly Clear

0 mph 11% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 11:10PM CDT until July 19 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 11:10PM CDT until July 19 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

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

2 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

22m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will navigate a series of surface roads including West Madison Avenue, Lee Highway, and Washington Avenue, with zero percent of the trip spent on major highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 7.1-mile segment along West Madison Avenue. Since the route relies entirely on local roads, you should prepare for a slower pace that reflects the character of the surrounding communities.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.1 mi on West Madison Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

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. The trickiest moment comes around 7.5 miles in near US 11 / Lee Highway.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Athens, TN to Calhoun, TN is easy. At 22m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 7.5 miles (US 11 / Lee Highway): Navigation decision point; at 14.4 miles (TN 163 / Etowah Road): Navigation decision point; at 14.6 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

950 ft 715 ft

Total Climb

132 ft

Total Descent

275 ft

Highest Point

950 ft

~1 mi in

Elevation Range

235 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Athens, TN

Full guide →

Founded 1822

Arriving in Calhoun, TN

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 14.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

22m 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

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 7.1 miles on West Madison Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 7.5 miles (US 11 / Lee Highway): Navigation decision point; at 14.4 miles (TN 163 / Etowah Road): Navigation decision point; at 14.6 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Calhoun, TN before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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