Origin
Decatur, GA
Late night in Decatur on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decatur, GA to Roswell, GA
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
36m
Distance
22.1 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decatur, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Roswell, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Decatur to Roswell, you are looking at a straightforward 22.1-mile journey through the Southeast. Expect the drive to take approximately 36 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via T Harvey Mathis Parkway, Turner McDonald Parkway, and North Druid Hills Road. With fuel costs estimated at $4, this is a budget-friendly excursion. Because both locations are situated within Georgia, you will remain in the Southeast region throughout the entire trip. This route offers a practical, efficient way to connect these two points without any necessary stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| T Harvey Mathis Parkway | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| Turner McDonald Parkway | 5 mi | 6m |
| North Druid Hills Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Clairmont Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Roswell Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Dunwoody Place | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Clairemont Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Northeast Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
T Harvey Mathis Parkway
— 6.2 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, GA and Roswell, GA.
1
Start on this road
287 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto East Ponce de Leon Avenue
188 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Ponce de Leon Avenue
3
Turn right onto Clairemont Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Clairemont Avenue
4
Continue on US 23; GA 155
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Clairmont Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto North Druid Hills Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Druid Hills Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn slight left
182 ft
·
10 sec
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
8
Merge onto I 85
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Expressway
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 86
Toward GA 13 South, GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto GA 400
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
T Harvey Mathis Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on GA 400
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Turner McDonald Parkway
Use the right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 6
Toward Northridge Road
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward Dunwoody Place
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Dunwoody Place
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Dunwoody Place
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto GA 9
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Roswell Road
Use the right lane.
17
Continue on GA 9; GA 120
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Atlanta Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto GA 9; GA 120
393 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Atlanta Street
19
Arrive at destination
GA 9; GA 120
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Ponce de Leon Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
North Druid Hills Road
Turn left onto North Druid Hills Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Northridge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 6
Toward Northridge Road
8
18.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Dunwoody Place
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Dunwoody Place
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.46 one way
$6.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.78 | $7.56 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.09 | $8.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.88 | $9.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Roswell, GA
Late night in Roswell on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
36m 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?
This trip features a mixed drive profile, balancing local navigation with faster transit. You will spend about 55% of your time on highways, providing a blend of suburban flow and more direct road segments. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 6.2 miles along T Harvey Mathis Parkway, which serves as a significant portion of the drive. As you transition between the parkways and North Druid Hills Road, the road’s personality shifts from higher-speed highway stretches to more localized driving. It is a functional route that keeps you moving steadily toward your destination without much deviation.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.2 mi on T Harvey Mathis Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 22.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Ponce de Leon Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3 miles (North Druid Hills Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Decatur, GA to Roswell, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Cumming along the way.
Cumming
6.4 mi in
|
~12m
About the Cities
Starting in Decatur, GA
Full guide →Decatur is a city that, despite being somewhat isolated from the rest of Atlanta, is so close to Georgia's state capital as to not really be separate. While Atlanta is an international city with corporate headquarters, world class convention facilities, and a fast pace, Decatur has retained a small city feel and a slightly slower pace. However, Decatur is closer to Atlanta's business, retail and cultural destinations than many of Atlanta's neighborhoods, so it can easily be mistaken for an in-town neighborhood of Atlanta.
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 36m. Total distance: 22.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.2 miles on T Harvey Mathis Parkway. 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 Roswell, GA 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 0.1 miles (East Ponce de Leon Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3 miles (North Druid Hills Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical 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 Roswell, GA 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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