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Trip from East Chattanooga, TN to Monterey, TN

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 12m

Distance

98.8 mi

159 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
2h 3m ★
6 AM
2h 12m
8 AM
2h 31m
10 AM
2h 19m
12 PM
2h 17m
3 PM
2h 19m
5 PM
2h 30m
8 PM
2h 6m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States

Monterey, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

East Chattanooga, TN to Monterey, TN is 98.8 miles and takes about 2h 12m via US 27 and I-40, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Tennessee, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Given it's mostly highway, expect a relatively straightforward trip. It's a short enough distance that you can easily complete it in a single day without feeling rushed.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

49.4 miles from East Chattanooga, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 27 41.8 mi 53m
Wassom Memorial Highway 19.8 mi 29m
I 40 15.8 mi 16m
TN 153 7.9 mi 9m
US 127 7.7 mi 12m
Bonny Oaks Drive 2 mi 3m
Campbell Street 0.6 mi 1m
Piccadilly Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 27 — 41.8 mi, about 53m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Chattanooga, TN and Monterey, TN.

1

Start on North Chamberlain Avenue

52 ft · 3 sec · North Chamberlain Avenue
2

Turn right onto SR 17

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Glass Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto SR 17

0.6 mi · 1 min · Campbell Street
4

Continue on SR 17

2.0 mi · 3 min · Bonny Oaks Drive
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward TN 153 North
6

Merge onto TN 153

7.9 mi · 9 min · TN 153
Use the straight lane.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy
8

Merge onto US 27

9.3 mi · 10 min · US 27
9

Keep slight right at fork onto US 27

33 mi · 42 min · US 27
10

Turn left onto Piccadilly Avenue

0.5 mi · 53 sec · Piccadilly Avenue
Use the left lane.
11

Continue on Herb M Wassom Mem Highway

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Herb M Wassom Mem Highway
12

At end of road, turn right onto SR 68

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Herb M Wassom Mem Highway
13

Continue on SR 68

20 mi · 29 min · Wassom Memorial Highway
14

Turn straight onto US 127

7.7 mi · 12 min · US 127
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
16

Merge onto I 40

16 mi · 16 min · I 40
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 301 Toward 70N: Monterey, Livingston
18

Turn right onto US 70N

356 ft · 7 sec · Crossville Highway
19

Continue on US 70N

0.4 mi · 48 sec · East Stratton Avenue
20

At end of road, turn right onto SR 84

0.3 mi · 24 sec · South Holly Street
21

Arrive at destination

SR 84

Trip Plan

For this 2-hour drive, leaving anytime in the morning or early afternoon should give you ample daylight. With only 98.8 miles to cover, you have the flexibility to stop if needed, though the drive is short enough that extra stops might not be necessary. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially if you're starting with less than a full tank; the estimated $15 fuel cost is based on typical prices and average MPG. Since the longest stretch is 41.8 miles on US 27, plan your fuel stop before you hit that segment if you're concerned about range.

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 49.4 miles from East Chattanooga, TN, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.8 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 22 miles or 28m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 49.4 miles or 1h 4m 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 51m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monterey, TN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving East Chattanooga, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from East Chattanooga, TN

This is one driving day of about 98.8 miles and 2h 12m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from East Chattanooga, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 27 for about 41.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

human settlement in Rhea County, Tennessee, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Spring City, TN

49 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

Soddy-Daisy, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Spring City, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.4 miles from East Chattanooga, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Eagle Exxon

0 mi from route

Buc-ee's

1.3 mi from route

Eco Travel Plaza

1.3 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

1.5 mi from route

Driver Services Center

1.7 mi from route

Renaissance Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+14236436096

Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+14237604333

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 97.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
3.3 mi into trip | ~5m in | TN 153

Merge onto TN 153

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
11.2 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy
6
53.4 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in | Piccadilly Avenue

Turn left onto Piccadilly Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
54 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in | SR 68 / Herb M Wassom Mem Highway

At end of road, turn right onto SR 68 / Herb M Wassom Mem Highway

Navigation decision point

6
97.8 mi into trip | ~2h 10m in

Take the exit toward 70N: Monterey, Livingston

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 301 Toward 70N: Monterey, Livingston

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.45 one way

$30.89 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $16.96 $33.92
premium $4.89 $19.01 $38.03
diesel $5.61 $21.81 $43.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.6 0 $10.37 $4.74
Efficient EV 24.7 0 $8.65 $3.95
EV Truck/SUV 39.5 0 $13.83 $6.32

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

East Chattanooga, TN

Morning in East Chattanooga on Sunday

Local time

7:30 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Monterey, TN

Morning in Monterey on Sunday

Local time

6:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Spring City, TN

49 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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

5 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

2h 12m 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?

You'll spend about 74% of this 98.8-mile route on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 41.8 miles on US 27. After that, expect a shift from high-speed highway cruising to more local roads as you approach Monterey. Watch for the increase in exits and intersections as you transition from the interstate.

74% 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: 41.8 mi on US 27.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 27 and Wassom Memorial Highway. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in near TN 153.

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 98.8 miles you will encounter 14 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 3.3 miles (TN 153): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 53.4 miles (Piccadilly Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between East Chattanooga, TN and Monterey, TN, road signs point toward Dayton and Soddy-Daisy.

Dayton

11.2 mi in | ~15m

Soddy-Daisy

11.2 mi in | ~15m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 12m. Total distance: 98.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 41.8 miles on US 27. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 5 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 Monterey, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

The main spots that need attention: at 3.3 miles (TN 153): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 53.4 miles (Piccadilly Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Monterey, 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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Explore more options from East Chattanooga, TN or browse trips ending in Monterey, TN.

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