Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cowan, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Three Forks, TN
Kelly
Cowan to Three Forks is 15.6 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Rowe Gap Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Tennessee, connecting two points in the Southeast region. The route primarily uses surface roads, making it a straightforward drive. It's a good option if you're looking for a quick connection between these two locations without the hassle of major highways. You'll find the driving experience is more about local roads than interstate cruising.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rowe Gap Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Keith Springs Mountain Road | 3.6 mi | 14m |
| Veterans Memorial Drive | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Cowan Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Cumberland Street East | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Tennessee Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Cowan, TN and Three Forks, TN.
Start on Tennessee Avenue North
Turn right onto US 41A
Continue on US 41A
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 64
Turn left onto TN 16
Turn right onto Keith Springs Mountain Road
Continue on Keith Springs Mountain Road
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 41A / Cumberland Street East
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 64 / Veterans Memorial Drive
Merge point - match speed before joining
Turn left onto TN 16 / Rowe Gap Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Keith Springs Mountain Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.60 one way
$5.20 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $2.84 | $5.68 |
| premium | $5.25 | $3.23 | $6.45 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $3.85 | $7.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Cowan on Sunday
Local time
5:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Three Forks on Sunday
Local time
5:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any interstate driving. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 5 miles on Rowe Gap Road. Expect a local feel as you navigate through these routes, with likely lower speeds and more community-level road conditions compared to highways. The total duration of 31 minutes suggests a steady pace without major traffic delays.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 41A / Cumberland Street East.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 31m drive. You will face about 5 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 (US 41A / Cumberland Street East): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (US 64 / Veterans Memorial Drive): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
993 ft
Total Descent
126 ft
Highest Point
1,863 ft
~12.3 mi in
Elevation Range
938 ft
Founded 1808
Not to be confused with Cowan in Victoria, in which is covered in the Phillip Island article Cowan is a very small town in Tennessee. It has roughly 1,700 residents, and is located at the foot of the Cumberland Plateau between Chattanooga and Nashville. Cowan is oriented around the junction of Tennessee Highway 41 and the CSX railroad heading toward Decherd.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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