Origin
Baxter, TN
Late night in Baxter on Sunday
Local time
2:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Baxter, TN to Murfreesboro, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
72.8 mi
117 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 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Baxter, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Murfreesboro, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Baxter to Murfreesboro, you can expect a straightforward 72.8-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes. This trek is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. Budgeting approximately $11 for fuel should cover your travel costs, making this an affordable transit between these two Tennessee towns. Both locations sit firmly within the Southeast region, so you will remain in a familiar environment throughout your drive. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a day of errands, this route offers a reliable and efficient connection.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 40.4 mi | 43m |
| Tennessee National Guard Parkway | 21 mi | 22m |
| Old Baxter Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Northwest Broad Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| New Nashville Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Public Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 40.4 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Baxter, TN and Murfreesboro, TN.
1
Start on SR 141
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Old Baxter Road
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
3
Merge onto I 40; SR 56
40 mi
·
43 min
·
I 40; SR 56
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 235
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 840
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 55A-B
Toward US 41, US 70S: Murfreesboro, Smyrna
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 55A
Toward US 41 South, US 70S East: Murfreesbord
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
1 min
9
Turn straight onto US 41; US 70S
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
New Nashville Highway
10
Continue on US 41; US 70S
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Northwest Broad Street
11
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Main Street
12
Turn right onto South Maple Street
138 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Maple Street
13
Turn slight left onto South Public Square
467 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Public Square
14
Turn slight right onto East Main Street
47 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Main Street
15
Continue on East Main Street
347 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Main Street
16
Turn right onto South Spring Street
84 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Spring Street
17
Arrive at destination
South Spring Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 36.4 miles from Baxter, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 4.4 and 72.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 40; SR 56
Merge onto I 40; SR 56
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
44.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 235
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
8
67 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward US 41, US 70S: Murfreesboro, Smyrna
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 55A-B
Toward US 41, US 70S: Murfreesboro, Smyrna
9
67.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 41 South, US 70S East: Murfreesbord
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 55A
Toward US 41 South, US 70S East: Murfreesbord
5
72.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
|
South Spring Street
Turn right onto South Spring Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.38 one way
$22.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.50 | $24.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.01 | $28.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.07 | $32.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
| Efficient EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.1 | 0 | $10.19 | $4.66 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (64% 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
Murfreesboro, TN
Late night in Murfreesboro on Sunday
Local time
2:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Lebanon, TN
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
3 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
1h 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This highway-focused drive relies heavily on I-40, which accounts for the vast majority of your journey. You will spend roughly 84% of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 40.4 miles along the interstate. The transition from the more rural feel of Baxter to the busier roads near Murfreesboro is bridged by the Tennessee National Guard Parkway and Old Baxter Road. Expect a consistent, fast-paced experience that prioritizes efficiency over technical winding roads. It is a functional drive designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal complexity.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40.4 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Tennessee National Guard Parkway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.4 miles in near I 40; SR 56.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 72.8 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 4.4 miles (I 40; SR 56): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Baxter, TN to Murfreesboro, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Smyrna along the way.
Smyrna
67 mi in
|
~1h 14m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 72.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 40.4 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Murfreesboro, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 4.4 miles (I 40; SR 56): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Murfreesboro, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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