Origin
East Chattanooga, TN
Morning in East Chattanooga on Sunday
Local time
7:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from East Chattanooga, TN to Walden, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
16 mi
26 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Walden, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 16-mile drive from East Chattanooga, TN to Walden, TN is easily manageable in just 29 minutes, making it a perfect option for a single day trip. You'll navigate using Taft Highway and Signal Mountain Boulevard, with a brief stint on US 27 contributing to about 11% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is a very reasonable $2, and with no designated stops, the flexibility is yours. Given its short distance and minimal highway time, this route is ideal for a spontaneous excursion within the Southeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Taft Highway | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Signal Mountain Boulevard | 3 mi | 4m |
| US 27 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Signal Mountain Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Riverside Drive | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Wilcox Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Dodson Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 4th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Taft Highway
— 3.1 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Chattanooga, TN and Walden, TN.
1
Start on North Chamberlain Avenue
52 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Chamberlain Avenue
2
Turn sharp left onto SR 17
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Glass Street
3
Turn left onto SR 17
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Dodson Avenue
4
Turn right onto Wilcox Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Wilcox Boulevard
5
Turn left onto Riverside Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn straight
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
7
Turn left onto Mabel Street
504 ft
·
10 sec
·
Mabel Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 4th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 27
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 27
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward US 127 North: Signal Mountain
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
13
Turn straight onto US 127
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Signal Mountain Road
14
Continue on US 127
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Signal Mountain Boulevard
15
Continue on US 127
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Taft Highway
16
Turn slight right onto Fairmount Pike
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairmount Pike
17
Turn slight right onto Key-Hulse Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Key-Hulse Road
18
Continue on Lake Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Avenue
19
Turn left onto Ivory Avenue
0.2 mi
·
55 sec
·
Ivory Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Ivory Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 4.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 17 / Glass Street
Turn sharp left onto SR 17 / Glass Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Riverside Drive
Turn left onto Riverside Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
3.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Mabel Street
Turn left onto Mabel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
East 4th Street
Turn right onto East 4th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
4.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.50 one way
$5.00 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.75 | $5.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.08 | $6.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.53 | $7.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Walden, TN
Morning in Walden on Sunday
Local time
7:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°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
1 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
29m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route. While only 11% of the journey involves highway travel, the majority of the 16 miles are on local roads, specifically Taft Highway and Signal Mountain Boulevard. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.1 miles along Taft Highway. This means you'll be actively steering and managing your speed more frequently than on a typical highway cruise, making it an engaging experience for those who enjoy a more hands-on connection with the road.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.1 mi on Taft Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 17 / Glass Street.
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 16 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: near the start (SR 17 / Glass Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.1 miles (Riverside Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Mabel Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 16 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.1 miles on Taft Highway. 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 Walden, 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: near the start (SR 17 / Glass Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.1 miles (Riverside Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Mabel Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Walden, 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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