Origin
Columbia, TN
Late night in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, TN to Dickson, 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
52m
Distance
41 mi
66 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Dickson, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Columbia to Dickson, you are in for a quick 41-mile journey that typically takes about 52 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited as a simple one-day excursion, as it does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via State Highway 7, State Highway 46, and Santa Fe Pike. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $6, this route is an economical choice for getting between these two Southeastern Tennessee locations. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense drive that gets you to your destination efficiently without unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 7 | 21.3 mi | 25m |
| State HWY 46 | 8.4 mi | 12m |
| Santa Fe Pike | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| State Highway 46 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| East College Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| James M Campbell Boulevard North | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Garden Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 7th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 7
— 21.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, TN and Dickson, TN.
1
Start on West 7th Street
79 ft
·
6 sec
·
West 7th Street
2
Turn right onto US 31; US 412 Business
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
North Garden Street
3
Turn left onto TN 7
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
James M Campbell Boulevard North
4
Continue on TN 7
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Santa Fe Pike
5
Continue on TN 7
21 mi
·
25 min
·
State Highway 7
6
Continue on TN 46
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 46
7
Continue on SR 46
8.4 mi
·
12 min
·
State HWY 46
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto US 70 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East College Street
9
Arrive at destination
US 70 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Columbia, 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
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40.4 — 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
|
US 31; US 412 Business / North Garden Street
Turn right onto US 31; US 412 Business / North Garden Street
Navigation decision point
3
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
TN 7 / James M Campbell Boulevard North
Turn left onto TN 7 / James M Campbell Boulevard North
Navigation decision point
4
40.4 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 70 Business / East College Street
Turn left onto US 70 Business / East College Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.41 one way
$12.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.04 | $14.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.89 | $15.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.05 | $18.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Dickson, TN
Late night in Dickson on Tuesday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Burns, TN
21 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
21 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
52m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as roughly 79% of this trip is spent on main roadways. You will spend a significant portion of your time on State Highway 7, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of 21.3 miles. The road maintains a consistent pace, allowing you to settle into a steady rhythm behind the wheel. Because the route relies heavily on state highways rather than interstates, you can anticipate a more direct, localized driving feel. The transitions between the primary roads are smooth, keeping the drive simple and easy to manage.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.3 mi on State Highway 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 7 and State HWY 46. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 31; US 412 Business / North Garden Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Columbia, TN to Dickson, TN is easy. At 52m with 79% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 31; US 412 Business / North Garden Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (TN 7 / James M Campbell Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 40.4 miles (US 70 Business / East College Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Columbia, TN
Full guide →Columbia is the county seat of Maury County in Central Tennessee, and is 50 miles south of Nashville. It is home to an estimated 38,224 people and hosts a mule day festival the first weekend of April every year. It is more famously known for being the hometown of the 11th President of the United States, James K. Polk. In addition, numerous antebellum homes are located around the city including Ripavilla, the Atheneum, Elm Springs, Rattle and Snap, and Hamilton Place to name a few. It is a city rich in history and culture endearingly known by its locals as "The Dimple of the Universe". It's safe to say the South has had its moments of racism and racial unrest, but Columbia seems to take it to a higher level. From indiscriminate lynchings as though they were pastimes to a race riot in 1946, racism has seemed pretty systemic here.
Arriving in Dickson, TN
Full guide →For the Dickson in Canberra, see Canberra/North Canberra Dickson is a city in Central Tennessee and can be both parts sleepy and busy far-flung exurb of Nashville.
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 52m. Total distance: 41 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.3 miles on State Highway 7. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (US 31; US 412 Business / North Garden Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (TN 7 / James M Campbell Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 40.4 miles (US 70 Business / East College Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dickson, 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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