Origin
Baxter, TN
Late night in Baxter on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Baxter, TN to Nashville, TN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
72.1 mi
116 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 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Baxter, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Nashville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Baxter to Nashville, you are in for a straightforward journey covering 72.1 miles. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 24 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a simple day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via I-40 before transitioning through Old Baxter Road and the Downtown Loop to reach your destination. With a fuel cost estimate of just $11, this is an incredibly budget-friendly commute within the Southeast region. Whether you are heading into the city for business or a quick getaway, the route is efficient and keeps your travel time to a minimum.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 64.7 mi | 1h 10m |
| Old Baxter Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Downtown Loop | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| James Robertson Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I 24 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 7th Avenue North | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 64.7 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Baxter, TN and Nashville, 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
63 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
I 40; SR 56
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
I 40
Exit 213B
Toward I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 24
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 24
Exit 211
Toward I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 24
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Downtown Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 48
Toward James Robertson Parkway, State Capitol
Use the right lane.
8
Turn straight onto US 31; US 41; US 431
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
James Robertson Parkway
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue North
129 ft
·
6 sec
·
3rd Avenue North
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto 7th Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue North
12
Arrive at destination
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 miles from Baxter, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.7 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 67 and 71.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
67 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 213B
Toward I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
9
69.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
I 24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 24 toward I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 211
Toward I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
8
70.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward James Robertson Parkway, State Capitol
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 48
Toward James Robertson Parkway, State Capitol
6
71.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
3rd Avenue North
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
71.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.27 one way
$22.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.38 | $24.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.87 | $27.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.92 | $31.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.57 | $3.46 |
| Efficient EV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.8 | 0 | $10.09 | $4.61 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Nashville, TN
Late night in Nashville on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
S 5 to 10 mph
5% chance
Live forecast
75°F
Alexandria, 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
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
1h 24m 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?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 91 percent of your time spent on high-speed roads. You will settle into a long, uninterrupted stretch covering 64.7 miles on I-40, which dominates the majority of the trip. Because the route relies so heavily on the interstate, you can anticipate a consistent pace rather than a technical or winding drive. As you exit the highway and transition into the Downtown Loop, the character of the road shifts from open interstate cruising to urban navigation. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that prioritizes speed and directness over scenic variety.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.7 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Old Baxter Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 67 miles in near I 40.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 72.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 67 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 69.1 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Nashville, TN
Full guide →Nashville is the capital of the American state of Tennessee. With 716,000 residents in 2022, it is the state's largest city. Nashville is sometimes called the "Country Music Capital of the World" or more often "Music City, USA"; however, Nashville has done much to escape its country music image and become a regional center of culture and commerce. In fact, Dell, Nissan, and Amazon have all moved some operations to or near the city. The music is various; major rap artists and rock bands (Jelly Roll, Young Buck, Haystak, Kings of Leon, Paramore, and Ben Folds) claim Nashville as their hometown, and the city is also the epicenter of the contemporary Christian music industry. Nashville has been the home of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry since 1925. Nashville also has a great bar scene. If you like to drink, you can go "Honky-tonking," also known as bar-hopping.
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 1h 24m. Total distance: 72.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.7 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 Nashville, 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 67 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 69.1 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.6 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 Nashville, 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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