East Chattanooga to Waynesboro is 180.6 miles and takes about 3h 37m via I-24 and Lawrenceburg Highway, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Tennessee, connecting the Southeast region of the state to another part of the Southeast. Expect a drive that transitions from highway speeds to more local road cruising. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
90.3 miles from East Chattanooga, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 24
47.4 mi
54m
Lawrenceburg Highway
44.4 mi
50m
Pulaski Highway
31 mi
35m
Winchester Highway
16.8 mi
19m
David Crockett Highway
13.6 mi
15m
Sewanee Highway
6.8 mi
10m
Veterans Memorial Drive
3.6 mi
4m
Cumberland Street East
2.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 24
— 47.4 mi, about 54m
Traffic on I-24
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,974 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,367
Quietest
2 AM
~348 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Chattanooga, TN and Waynesboro, 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
1.8 mi·3 min·Dodson Avenue
4
Turn right onto SR 17
0.1 mi·21 sec·East 3rd Street
5
Turn left onto SR 17
1.1 mi·2 min·North Willow Street
6
Turn left onto US 41; US 76
356 ft·8 sec·East Main Street
7
Turn right onto South Kelley Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Kelley Street
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
9
Merge onto I 24
47 mi·54 min·I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 134Toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
11
Turn slight right
50 ft·9 sec
12
Turn left onto US 41A
1.6 mi·2 min·West Main Street
13
Continue on US 41A
0.4 mi·36 sec·David Crockett Highway
14
Continue on US 41A
1.8 mi·2 min·Sewanee Highway
15
Continue on US 41A
2.0 mi·2 min·Sollace M Freeman Highway
16
Continue on US 41A
5.0 mi·7 min·Sewanee Highway
17
Continue on US 41A
2.6 mi·3 min·Cumberland Street East
18
Continue on US 41A
1.8 mi·2 min·Cowan Highway
19
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
20
Merge onto US 64
3.6 mi·4 min·Veterans Memorial Drive
21
Continue on US 64
13 mi·14 min·David Crockett Highway
22
Continue on US 64
17 mi·19 min·Winchester Highway
23
Continue on US 64 Business
0.5 mi·48 sec·Mulberry Avenue
24
Continue on US 64 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·College Street East
25
Turn slight right onto US 64 Business
0.2 mi·14 sec·Morgan Avenue North
26
Continue on US 64 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Washington Street West
27
Continue on US 64
31 mi·35 min·Pulaski Highway
28
Turn left onto US 64
0.7 mi·50 sec·West College Street
29
Continue on US 64
44 mi·50 min·Lawrenceburg Highway
30
Continue on US 64
1.3 mi·1 min·Dexter L Woods Memorial Boulevard
31
At end of road, turn right onto TN 13
192 ft·3 sec·Hill Street
32
Turn left onto TN 13
302 ft·6 sec·West Public Square
33
At end of road, turn left onto TN 13
214 ft·3 sec·Hollis Street
34
Turn left onto TN 13
59 ft·1 sec·North Main Street
35
Arrive at destination
TN 13
Trip Plan
Starting your drive from East Chattanooga in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to reach Waynesboro. The 3-hour, 37-minute drive time means you can comfortably complete this in one day. Since the longest stretch on the interstate is 47.4 miles, consider taking a break shortly after transitioning to surface roads to refuel or stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you move onto the local highways, as services might be less frequent than on the interstate.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 90.3 miles from East Chattanooga, TN, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.4 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 40 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90.3 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waynesboro, 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 180.6 miles and 3h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from East Chattanooga, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 24 for about 47.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 180.5 — 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
4
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|SR 17 / East 3rd Street
Turn right onto SR 17 / East 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.3 mi into trip|~8m in|I 24
Merge onto I 24
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
51.6 mi into trip|~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 134
Toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
5
180.5 mi into trip|~3h 37m in|TN 13 / Hollis Street
At end of road, turn left onto TN 13 / Hollis Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.67 one way
$53.34 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$29.44
$58.89
premium
$4.72
$33.53
$67.06
diesel
$4.80
$34.10
$68.20
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 63.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.2
0
$18.96
$8.67
Efficient EV
45.2
0
$15.80
$7.22
EV Truck/SUV
72.2
0
$25.28
$11.56
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
East Chattanooga, TN
Late night
in East Chattanooga on Monday
Local time
3:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Waynesboro, TN
Late night
in Waynesboro on Monday
Local time
2:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Areas Of Fog
0 mph4% chanceLive forecast
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
1 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
3h 37m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly on surface roads, with only 26% of the route being highway. You'll have a stretch of 47.4 miles on I-24, after which the profile shifts to local routes like Lawrenceburg Highway and Pulaski Highway. Expect a more rural feel once you leave the interstate, with less traffic and more frequent intersections.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.4 mi on I 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 SR 17 / Glass Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 37m drive. You will face about 17 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 (SR 17 / Glass Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.2 miles (SR 17 / East 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (I 24): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,899 ft641 ft
Total Climb
1,714 ft
Total Descent
1,643 ft
Highest Point
1,899 ft
~51.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,258 ft
Notable High Points
1,899 ft at ~51.6 miles+901 ft prominence
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 Waynesboro, TN, road signs point toward 41A: Monteagle and Sewanee.
41A: Monteagle
51.6 mi in|~1h 2m
Sewanee
51.6 mi in|~1h 2m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The longest stretch is about 47.4 miles on I 24. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 17 / Glass Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.2 miles (SR 17 / East 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (I 24): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Waynesboro, TN, but most travelers stay overnight.
