Bartlett, TN to Unicoi, TN is 490.2 miles and takes about 9h 1m via I 40 and I 81, with a fuel budget near $87 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Tennessee, connecting the western part of the state to the eastern edge. Given the 9-hour duration, it's a trip best suited for an overnight stay, allowing you to break up the driving. The route offers a mix of interstate cruising and surface road travel. Consider this if you're looking for a direct path across Tennessee.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
245.1 miles from Bartlett, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
210.5 mi
3h 50m
Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
189.2 mi
3h 24m
I 81
56.6 mi
1h
James H. Quillen Parkway
22.7 mi
27m
Stage Road
5.8 mi
10m
Downtown Loop
2.9 mi
4m
Unicoi Drive
0.7 mi
1m
SR 173
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 210.5 mi, about 3h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bartlett, TN and Unicoi, TN.
1
Start on TN 15
5.8 mi·10 min·Stage Road
2
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward Nashville
3
Merge onto I 40
189 mi·3 hr 24 min·Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 208AToward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, HuntsvilleUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 40; I 65
2.4 mi·3 min·Downtown Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 40
0.5 mi·42 sec·Downtown Loop
Exit 211B; 211AToward I 24 West, I 40 East, I 24 East: Clarksville, Louisville, Knoxville, ChattanoogaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
174 mi·3 hr 9 min·I 40
Exit 211AToward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, ChattanoogaUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
37 mi·40 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
57 mi·1 hr·I 81
Exit 421Toward I 81 North: Bristol
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·40 sec
Exit 57AToward I 26 East, US 23 South: Johnson City, Asheville
11
Merge onto I 26; US 23
23 mi·27 min·James H. Quillen Parkway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward TN 173
13
Turn left onto SR 173
0.4 mi·43 sec·SR 173
14
At end of road, turn right onto SR 173
0.7 mi·1 min·Unicoi Drive
15
Arrive at destination
SR 173
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of just over 9 hours, this trip is comfortably split over two days. Plan to leave Bartlett in the morning and drive for about 4-5 hours, aiming for a stop around the halfway point. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 210.5 miles on I 40, so be sure to fuel up before you begin that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $87, and stops might be less frequent on the highway sections. Two planned stops are recommended to make the drive more manageable.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 245.1 miles from Bartlett, TN, or about 4h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 210.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 108 miles or 2h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 245.1 miles or 4h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 245.1 miles or 4h 30m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Unicoi, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bartlett, TN
Aim for roughly 245 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Unicoi, TN
Aim for roughly 245 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 108 miles from Bartlett, TN.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 210.5 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 195.3 and 465.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
195.3 mi into trip|~3h 35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 208A
Toward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsv...
9
198.5 mi into trip|~3h 39m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 211A
Toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattan...
6
372.3 mi into trip|~6h 49m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
409.1 mi into trip|~7h 30m in|I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 North: Bristol
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 421
Toward I 81 North: Bristol
6
465.7 mi into trip|~8h 31m in
Take the exit toward I 26 East, US 23 South: Johnson City, Asheville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 57A
Toward I 26 East, US 23 South: Johnson City, As...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$81.50 one way
$163.00 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg172 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$88.78
$177.55
premium
$5.18
$100.03
$200.06
diesel
$5.35
$103.25
$206.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$82
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$212–$322
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 171.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
147.1
1
$51.47
$23.53
Efficient EV
122.6
1
$42.89
$19.61
EV Truck/SUV
196.1
2
$68.63
$31.37
Gas CO2
172 kg
EV CO2
57 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Bartlett, TN
Afternoon
in Bartlett on Wednesday
Local time
2:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
N 0 to 5 mph50% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued June 1 at 6:26PM CDT until June 1 at 8:15PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Unicoi, TN
Afternoon
in Unicoi on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued June 1 at 6:26PM CDT until June 1 at 8:15PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
67°F
Baxter, TN
245 mi in
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
11 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
9h 1m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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...
21 mi from route
~53 min detour
Free
near mile 219.7
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of it...
30 mi from route
~75 min detour
Free
near mile 388.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Nearly 60% of this 490.2-mile route is on highways, primarily I 40 and I 81. You'll experience a significant stretch of 210.5 miles on I 40 before transitioning. The profile is mixed highway and surface, meaning you'll encounter both high-speed interstate travel and slower sections on local roads. Expect a good number of exits and potential merging traffic as you pass through various towns and cities.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 210.5 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 195.3 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 490.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 195.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 198.5 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 372.3 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,928 ft278 ft
Total Climb
2,645 ft
Total Descent
996 ft
Highest Point
1,928 ft
~490.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,650 ft
Notable High Points
1,715 ft at ~315.1 miles+719 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bartlett, TN and Unicoi, TN, road signs point toward Huntsville, Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Asheville.
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.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 210.5 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 245 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 53 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Unicoi, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 53 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 195.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 198.5 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 372.3 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.0 hours each way, a round trip means 18.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Unicoi, TN before the return drive.
