Origin
Etowah, TN
Late night in Etowah on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Etowah, TN to Athens, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
10.3 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Etowah, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Athens, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Etowah, TN to Athens, TN is 10.3 miles and takes about 14m via David W Lillard Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Tennessee, connecting two communities in the Southeast region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway, making it a straightforward local journey. Given its minimal distance and duration, this trip is easily manageable for a same-day excursion, allowing for plenty of flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| David W Lillard Memorial Highway | 7.6 mi | 10m |
| South White Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Tennessee Avenue | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| L & N Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
David W Lillard Memorial Highway
— 7.6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Etowah, TN and Athens, TN.
1
Start on L & N Drive
115 ft
·
12 sec
·
L & N Drive
2
Turn right onto US 411; SR 30
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Tennessee Avenue
3
Turn left onto SR 30
7.6 mi
·
10 min
·
David W Lillard Memorial Highway
4
Continue on SR 30
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South White Street
5
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
South Jackson Street
6
Turn left onto SR 39
47 ft
·
0 sec
·
Washington Avenue
7
Arrive at destination
SR 39
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 411; SR 30 / Tennessee Avenue
Turn right onto US 411; SR 30 / Tennessee Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
1.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 30 / David W Lillard Memorial Highway
Turn left onto SR 30 / David W Lillard Memorial Highway
Navigation decision point
3
10.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
South Jackson Street
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
5
10.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
SR 39 / Washington Avenue
Turn left onto SR 39 / Washington Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.61 one way
$3.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.77 | $3.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.98 | $3.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.27 | $4.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.90 | $0.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Athens, TN
Late night in Athens on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°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
2 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
14m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with no share of highway miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles on David W Lillard Memorial Highway. You'll navigate a series of local roads, including South White Street and Tennessee Avenue, as you make your way between Etowah and Athens. This means paying close attention to navigation and being prepared for frequent adjustments in direction.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.6 mi on David W Lillard Memorial Highway.
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 US 411; SR 30 / Tennessee Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 4 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 (US 411; SR 30 / Tennessee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (SR 30 / David W Lillard Memorial Highway): Navigation decision point; at 10.1 miles (South Jackson Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 10.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.6 miles on David W Lillard Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (US 411; SR 30 / Tennessee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (SR 30 / David W Lillard Memorial Highway): Navigation decision point; at 10.1 miles (South Jackson Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Athens, 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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