Cleveland, TN to Newport, TN is 130.5 miles and takes about 2h 28m via I 75 and I 40, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region and entirely within Tennessee. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, making for a straightforward and efficient journey. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's well-suited for a single-day drive, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Plan for a direct transit between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
65.3 miles from Cleveland, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
75.8 mi
1h 22m
I 40
46.9 mi
52m
US 25W
4 mi
6m
Keith Street
1.5 mi
2m
25th Street NW
0.6 mi
<1m
25th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
<1m
Inman Street West
0.4 mi
<1m
East Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 75.8 mi, about 1h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cleveland, TN and Newport, TN.
1
Start on US 64
0.4 mi·40 sec·Inman Street West
2
Turn right onto US 11
1.5 mi·2 min·Keith Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto TN 60
0.3 mi·35 sec·25th Street Northwest
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on TN 60
0.6 mi·58 sec·25th Street NW
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on TN 60
0.2 mi·18 sec·25th Street Northwest
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
7
Merge onto I 75
76 mi·1 hr 22 min·I 75
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
37 mi·40 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
10 mi·11 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: Asheville
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward US 411 South: Sevierville
11
Keep slight left at fork
261 ft·8 sec
12
Turn left onto US 25W; US 70; US 411
0.3 mi·28 sec·US 25W; US 70; US 411
13
Turn straight onto US 25W; US 70
3.7 mi·5 min·US 25W; US 70
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto North Cosby Highway
402 ft·6 sec·North Cosby Highway
Use the left lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto East Main Street
0.3 mi·22 sec·East Main Street
16
Turn right onto US 321
235 ft·6 sec·McMahan Avenue
17
Turn right
56 ft·4 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a total duration of under 2.5 hours, this route offers flexibility. Consider an early morning departure from Cleveland to maximize your day in Newport. Since the longest stretch on I 75 is over 75 miles, keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you begin this segment. While there are no specified stops in the data, you'll find plenty of service areas along the interstates for quick breaks or refueling if needed. The $20 fuel budget suggests it's an economical trip, so you won't need to worry excessively about gas costs.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 65.3 miles from Cleveland, TN, or about 1h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.8 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 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.3 miles or 1h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Newport, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, TN
This is one driving day of about 130.5 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Cleveland, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 75.8 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 115.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|US 11 / Keith Street
Turn right onto US 11 / Keith Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
2.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
3.2 mi into trip|~5m in|I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
79 mi into trip|~1h 28m 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.
5
115.8 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Asheville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 40 East: Asheville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.40 one way
$40.80 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$22.40
$44.80
premium
$4.89
$25.11
$50.23
diesel
$5.61
$28.81
$57.63
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: 45.7 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
39.2
0
$13.70
$6.26
Efficient EV
32.6
0
$11.42
$5.22
EV Truck/SUV
52.2
0
$18.27
$8.35
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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Cleveland, TN
Morning
in Cleveland on Tuesday
Local time
9:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Newport, TN
Morning
in Newport on Tuesday
Local time
9:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live 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
4 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 28m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
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...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
Free
near mile 103.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 97% of the route utilizing major interstates like I 75 and I 40. Expect a consistent driving experience for the majority of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 75.8 miles on I 75. While the majority is interstate, the inclusion of US 25W offers a slight variation. The profile suggests a drive that prioritizes speed and directness, with minimal time spent on slower, more winding roads.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 75.8 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and I 40. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near US 11 / Keith Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 130.5 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 0.4 miles (US 11 / Keith Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 3.2 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Cleveland is the county seat of Bradley County, Tennessee. As of 2020, the population was 45,902. Just like in other areas of the South, Native Americans such as the Cherokees were forced to cede their tribal homelands and move west in what was termed "The Trail Of Tears", in which many died. Cleveland was an exhibition in all this in that not only was it the site of the diminishing Cherokee's council at a place called Charleston and then Red Clay nearby, but it also was where federal troops imprisoned tribal members in stockades for forced removal by the time the crafty Treaty of New Echota passed in 1835. These things are represented at the Museum Center At Five Points and Red Clay State Park.
Newport is a city in Tennessee with a history of bootlegging and a bit of desperation to make it out of poverty in Appalachia. Though it went through a lot of ups and downs over the years, there aren't a whole lot of singular attractions to visit here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 130.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 75.8 miles on I 75. 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 Newport, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (US 11 / Keith Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 3.2 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 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 Newport, TN before heading back.
