Spanning 254.3 miles across Tennessee, this drive from Bartlett to Sewanee typically takes about 5 hours and 16 minutes behind the wheel. Because the total duration is manageable for a single day, you can easily complete this journey in one go without needing an overnight stay. Expect to budget roughly $39 for fuel for the one-way trip. Since both endpoints are located within the Southeast, the transit remains entirely within the state. Whether you are heading out for a quick weekend getaway or a necessary visit, the route is straightforward enough to handle as a single-day commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
127.1 miles from Bartlett, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 64
159.5 mi
3h 17m
United States Route 64
44.4 mi
50m
Wayne Road
31.1 mi
35m
Stage Road
6.4 mi
11m
Sewanee Highway
5 mi
7m
Cumberland Street West
2.6 mi
3m
Cowan Highway
1.7 mi
2m
Dexter L Woods Memorial Boulevard
0.8 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 64
— 159.5 mi, about 3h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bartlett, TN and Sewanee, TN.
1
Start on TN 15
6.4 mi·11 min·Stage Road
Use the left lane.
2
Continue on US 64
72 mi·1 hr 29 min·US 64
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto US 64
20 mi·30 min·US 64
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Water Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Water Street
5
Turn left onto TN 128
344 ft·12 sec·Pickwick Street South
6
Turn right onto US 64; SR 69; SR 128
0.1 mi·20 sec·Main Street
7
Continue on US 64; SR 128
31 mi·35 min·Wayne Road
8
Continue on US 64
0.8 mi·52 sec·Dexter L Woods Memorial Boulevard
9
Continue on US 64
44 mi·50 min·United States Route 64
10
Continue on US 64
0.7 mi·48 sec·West College Street
11
Continue on US 64
67 mi·1 hr 17 min·US 64
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
13
Keep slight right at fork
184 ft·5 sec
14
Turn straight onto US 41A
1.7 mi·2 min·Cowan Highway
15
Continue on US 41A
2.6 mi·3 min·Cumberland Street West
16
Continue on US 41A
5.0 mi·7 min·Sewanee Highway
17
Continue on US 41A
0.5 mi·50 sec·Sollace M Freeman Highway
18
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.6 mi·2 min·University Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
University Avenue
Trip Plan
To keep your drive comfortable, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs during the 5-hour and 16-minute duration. Leaving early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid fatigue and ensure you reach Sewanee with plenty of daylight left. Given the 159.5-mile longest stretch, be sure to monitor your fuel levels before entering the primary highway segments to stay well within your estimated $39 budget. Because the route is optimized for efficiency, use that flexibility to time your single stop around the midpoint of your travel to keep your energy levels consistent until you arrive.
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 127.1 miles from Bartlett, TN, or about 2h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 159.5 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 56 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.1 miles or 2h 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sewanee, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bartlett, 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 Bartlett, TN
This is one driving day of about 254.3 miles and 5h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Bartlett, 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 US 64 for about 159.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 253.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|TN 15 / Stage Road
Depart onto TN 15 / Stage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
78.7 mi into trip|~1h 41m in|US 64
Turn left onto US 64
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
99.6 mi into trip|~2h 12m in|US 64; SR 69; SR 128 / Main Street
Turn right onto US 64; SR 69; SR 128 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
243.7 mi into trip|~4h 58m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
253.6 mi into trip|~5h 13m in|University Avenue
Turn left onto University Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.55 one way
$75.11 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$41.46
$82.92
premium
$4.72
$47.22
$94.43
diesel
$4.80
$48.02
$96.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.3
0
$26.70
$12.21
Efficient EV
63.6
0
$22.25
$10.17
EV Truck/SUV
101.7
1
$35.60
$16.28
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Bartlett, TN
Late night
in Bartlett on Sunday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
WSW 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Sewanee, TN
Late night
in Sewanee on Sunday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph13% chanceLive 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 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
5h 16m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This highway-focused drive relies heavily on US 64, which accounts for the vast majority of your travel time. You will spend about 80% of your journey on major highways, offering a consistent pace for most of the trip. A significant portion of the drive includes a long, uninterrupted stretch of 159.5 miles along US 64, requiring you to stay focused during long periods of steady driving. As you transition onto Wayne Road, the character of the pavement shifts slightly, but the overall experience remains centered on maintaining speed and efficiency to reach your destination.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 159.5 mi on US 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 64 and United States Route 64. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near TN 15 / Stage Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TN 15 / Stage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 78.7 miles (US 64): Lane positioning matters here; at 99.6 miles (US 64; SR 69; SR 128 / Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,930 ft278 ft
Total Climb
2,044 ft
Total Descent
392 ft
Highest Point
1,930 ft
~254.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,652 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Bartlett is a city in metropolitan Memphis, Tennessee. It has several buildings of historic interest, and a walkable Historic District". In 2018, the population of Bartlett was almost 60,000. The Trail of Tears runs along Stage Road through the city. It commemorates the forced relocations between 1830 and 1850 of approximately 60,000 Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the Southeastern U.S. to areas west of the Mississippi River that had been designated as Indian Territory.
Sewanee is a small town in south-central Tennessee. It is known primarily for its natural scenery and association with the University of the South. There are roughly 2,500 residents, of whom about 1,500 are students at the University. Sewanee is positioned about halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga. The town and the roughly 13,000 acres surrounding it -- all of which are owned directly by the University -- are quaintly called "The Domain" by residents.
The longest stretch is about 159.5 miles on US 64. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TN 15 / Stage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 78.7 miles (US 64): Lane positioning matters here; at 99.6 miles (US 64; SR 69; SR 128 / Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sewanee, TN before the return drive.
