Origin
Dandridge, TN
Late night in Dandridge on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dandridge, TN to Kingsport, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
69.3 mi
112 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dandridge, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Dandridge and Kingsport, this 69.3-mile journey is a straightforward commute across Tennessee. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 20 minutes behind the wheel, making it an easy day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize I-81 and I-40 to navigate through the Southeast region. With fuel costs estimated at $11, it is a budget-friendly transit option for your schedule. Whether you are heading north for business or just exploring more of the state, this route offers a functional connection between the two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 50.5 mi | 54m |
| South Wilcox Drive | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| I 40 | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Sullivan Gardens Drive | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| TN 93 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| West Meeting Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Sullivan Gardens Parkway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 50.5 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dandridge, TN and Kingsport, TN.
1
Start on East Main Street
74 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn right onto SR 92
525 ft
·
16 sec
·
Chestnut Hill Road
3
Turn left onto US 25W; US 70; SR 92
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Meeting Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
5
Merge onto I 40
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
I 40
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
51 mi
·
54 min
·
I 81
Exit 421
Toward I 81 North: Bristol
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 50
Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
8
Keep slight right at fork
509 ft
·
14 sec
Exit 50
Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
9
Merge onto SR 93
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
SR 93
10
Continue on TN 93
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
TN 93
11
Continue on SR 93
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Sullivan Gardens Drive
12
Continue on SR 93
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Wilcox Drive
13
Continue on SR 93
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Sullivan Gardens Parkway
14
Turn left onto SR 126
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Wilcox Drive
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left onto East Sullivan Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Sullivan Street
16
Turn slight left onto East Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
17
Turn right onto Broad Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Broad Street
18
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
46 ft
·
1 sec
·
Broad Street
19
Continue on Broad Street
433 ft
·
19 sec
·
Broad Street
20
Turn left onto TN 36
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Center Street
21
Arrive at destination
TN 36
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.7 miles from Dandridge, 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
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 69.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 North: Bristol
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 421
Toward I 81 North: Bristol
6
56.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 50
Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
8
56.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 50
Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
5
69.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
Broad Street
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
69.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
TN 36 / West Center Street
Turn left onto TN 36 / West Center Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.83 one way
$21.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.90 | $23.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.34 | $26.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.30 | $30.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
| Efficient EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.7 | 0 | $9.70 | $4.44 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Kingsport, TN
Late night in Kingsport on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 0 to 5 mph
36% chance
Live forecast
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
12 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 20m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily focused on highway travel, with 84% of your time spent on high-speed roads. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, as the longest uninterrupted stretch covers 50.5 miles on I-81. While the drive is efficient, it lacks the technical turns of backroads, favoring a consistent interstate pace instead. As you transition from the interstate onto South Wilcox Drive, the environment shifts from rural highway expanses to the local surroundings of Kingsport. Prepare for a steady, predictable experience that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.5 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and South Wilcox Drive. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.8 miles in near I 81.
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 69.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 5.8 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 56.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Dandridge, TN to Kingsport, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Fall Branch along the way.
Fall Branch
56.3 mi in
|
~1h 1m
About the Cities
Arriving in Kingsport, TN
Full guide →Kingsport (pop. 48,205) is a city in Eastern Tennessee.
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 20m. Total distance: 69.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.5 miles on I 81. 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 Kingsport, 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 5.8 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 56.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Kingsport, 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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