Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Chattanooga, TN to Carthage, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 42m
Distance
131 mi
211 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 32m
★
6 AM
2h 43m
8 AM
3h 4m
10 AM
2h 50m
12 PM
2h 48m
3 PM
2h 51m
5 PM
3h 3m
8 PM
2h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chattanooga, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Carthage, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Chattanooga to Carthage is 131 miles and takes about 2 hours 42 minutes via Artillery Road and I-40, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip primarily stays within Tennessee, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. The route offers a straightforward path, making it a good option if you're looking for a simple drive with minimal navigation challenges. Given its manageable distance, it's well-suited for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
65.5 miles from Chattanooga, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Artillery Road | 43.5 mi | 56m |
| I 40 | 29.6 mi | 31m |
| US 27 | 20.6 mi | 24m |
| TN 8 | 12.6 mi | 17m |
| SR 111 | 11.5 mi | 13m |
| TN 111 | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| Gordonsville Highway | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Upper Ferry Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Artillery Road
— 43.5 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chattanooga, TN and Carthage, TN.
1
Start on TN 8
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
3
Merge onto US 27
21 mi
·
24 min
·
US 27
4
Keep slight left at fork onto TN 111
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
TN 111
5
Continue on SR 111
11 mi
·
13 min
·
SR 111
6
Continue on TN 8; TN 111
13 mi
·
17 min
·
TN 8; TN 111
7
Continue on SR 111
44 mi
·
56 min
·
Artillery Road
8
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
9
Merge onto I 40
30 mi
·
31 min
·
I 40
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward TN 53: Carthage, Gordonsville
11
Turn right onto SR 53
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Gordonsville Highway
12
Turn left onto Upper Ferry Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Upper Ferry Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn right onto East 3rd Avenue
138 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 3rd Avenue
15
Turn left onto Futtrell Alley
88 ft
·
6 sec
·
Futtrell Alley
16
Arrive at destination
Futtrell Alley
Trip Plan
For this 2 hour 42 minute drive, leaving Chattanooga in the morning will give you plenty of time to reach Carthage. With only 131 miles, you have the flexibility to stop as needed, though the longest stretch without a break is about 43.5 miles on Artillery Road. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $20, and plan your fill-up accordingly. Since this is a single-day trip, consider a mid-morning departure to avoid early rush hour traffic and arrive in Carthage with ample daylight.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 65.5 miles from Chattanooga, TN, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.5 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 29 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.5 miles or 1h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carthage, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chattanooga, 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 Chattanooga, TN
This is one driving day of about 131 miles and 2h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Chattanooga, 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 Artillery Road for about 43.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
66 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 65.5 miles from Chattanooga, 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.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Tennessee Visitor Center
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Driver Services Center
0.8 mi from route
Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~1 min detour
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Hours: 11 am–8 pm
+14237604333
Visit websiteRenaissance Park
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Hours: 6 am–11 pm
+14236436096
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 130 — 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 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Depart onto TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
21.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
TN 111
Keep slight left at fork onto TN 111
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
95 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
125 mi into trip
|
~2h 32m in
Take the exit toward TN 53: Carthage, Gordonsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward TN 53: Carthage, Gordonsville
5
130 mi into trip
|
~2h 40m in
|
Upper Ferry Road
Turn left onto Upper Ferry Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.48 one way
$40.96 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
46 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $22.49 | $44.97 |
| premium | $4.89 | $25.21 | $50.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $28.92 | $57.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.3 | 0 | $13.75 | $6.29 |
| Efficient EV | 32.8 | 0 | $11.46 | $5.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 52.4 | 0 | $18.34 | $8.38 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% 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.
Origin
Chattanooga, TN
Late night in Chattanooga on Sunday
Local time
2:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Carthage, TN
Late night in Carthage on Sunday
Local time
1:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Sparta, TN
66 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.
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
35 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
2h 42m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 61% of the route on major roads. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 43.5 miles on Artillery Road before transitioning to I-40. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving as you make your way north. The rural nature of parts of this route means you'll see less dense traffic and fewer immediate exits once you leave the interstate.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.5 mi on Artillery Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Artillery Road and I 40. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 42m drive. You will face about 10 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 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.5 miles (TN 111): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 95 miles: Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Chattanooga, TN
Full guide →Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennessee. It is the seat of Hamilton County. It is in Southeast Tennessee on the Tennessee River and near the border of Georgia. It was immortalized in the popular 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo", made famous by Glenn Miller.
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 2h 42m. Total distance: 131 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.5 miles on Artillery Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.5 miles (TN 111): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 95 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carthage, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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