Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Cookeville, TN to Murfreesboro, 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 33m
Distance
80.9 mi
130 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 27m
★
6 AM
1h 34m
8 AM
1h 48m
10 AM
1h 39m
12 PM
1h 37m
3 PM
1h 40m
5 PM
1h 47m
8 PM
1h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cookeville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Murfreesboro, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Cookeville to Murfreesboro is 80.9 miles and takes about 1h 33m via I 40 and Northwest Broad Street, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Tennessee, connecting two points in the Southeast region. It's a relatively short trip, mainly focused on highway travel, making it a straightforward journey for most drivers. You'll spend most of your time on I 40, so expect a consistent pace for this leg of your travels.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.5 miles from Cookeville, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 50.1 mi | 53m |
| Tennessee National Guard Parkway | 21 mi | 22m |
| Northwest Broad Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| South Willow Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| New Nashville Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Spring Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Public Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 50.1 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cookeville, TN and Murfreesboro, TN.
1
Start on South Dixie Avenue
270 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Dixie Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 70N
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Spring Street
3
Turn left onto SR 135
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Willow Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
5
Merge onto I 40
50 mi
·
53 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 235
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 840
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 55A-B
Toward US 41, US 70S: Murfreesboro, Smyrna
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
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.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
1 min
11
Turn straight onto US 41; US 70S
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
New Nashville Highway
12
Continue on US 41; US 70S
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Northwest Broad Street
13
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Main Street
14
Turn right onto South Maple Street
138 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Maple Street
15
Turn slight left onto South Public Square
467 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Public Square
16
Turn slight right onto East Main Street
47 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Main Street
17
Continue on East Main Street
347 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Main Street
18
Turn right onto South Spring Street
84 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Spring Street
19
Arrive at destination
South Spring Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of about 1 hour and 33 minutes, this trip offers a lot of flexibility for when you depart. You won't need extensive stops, but it's always wise to take a break if you feel fatigued. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, planning your fill-up before you leave Cookeville or knowing where the next station is along I 40 is a good idea. Pay attention to the transition off I 40 as you enter Murfreesboro; Northwest Broad Street will become your primary path into the city.
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 40.5 miles from Cookeville, TN, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.1 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.5 miles or 46m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Murfreesboro, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cookeville, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cookeville, TN
This is one driving day of about 80.9 miles and 1h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Cookeville, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 50.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.5 miles from Cookeville, 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.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Tennessee Visitor Center
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
The Bug Man
0.5 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 80.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
53 mi into trip
|
~59m 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
75.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m 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
75.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m 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
80.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 33m in
|
South Spring Street
Turn right onto South Spring Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.65 one way
$25.30 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.89 | $27.77 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.57 | $31.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.86 | $35.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.3 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 | 24.3 | 0 | $8.49 | $3.88 |
| Efficient EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.08 | $3.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.4 | 0 | $11.33 | $5.18 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Origin
Cookeville, TN
Late night in Cookeville on Tuesday
Local time
3:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Murfreesboro, TN
Late night in Murfreesboro on Tuesday
Local time
3:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Lebanon, TN
40 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
20 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 33m 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.
Stones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
1 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
near mile 78.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 88% of the journey taking place on major roadways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 50.1 miles on I 40, providing a good opportunity to settle into a steady pace. While the majority is highway, expect some transitions as you approach your destination, with Tennessee National Guard Parkway and Northwest Broad Street offering a change of scenery and road type. Overall, it’s a practical drive designed for efficient travel between these two Tennessee cities.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.1 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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near I 40.
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 80.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 2.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 53 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 75.1 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 Cookeville, TN to Murfreesboro, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Smyrna along the way.
Smyrna
75.1 mi in
|
~1h 23m
About the Cities
Starting in Cookeville, TN
Full guide →Cookeville is a small city in north central Tennessee and home of Tennessee Tech University. Cookeville is the largest city in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee.
Arriving in Murfreesboro, TN
Full guide →Murfreesboro is a city in the Nashville metropolitan area of Middle Tennessee. It is the largest suburb of Nashville and the sixth largest city in Tennessee. Since the 1990s, Murfreesboro has been Tennessee's fastest growing major city and one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Murfreesboro is home to Middle Tennessee State University, the second largest undergraduate university in the state of Tennessee, with almost 23,000 students in 2014.
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 33m. Total distance: 80.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.1 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 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.
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 2.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 53 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 75.1 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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