Origin
Etowah, TN
Morning in Etowah on Tuesday
Local time
6:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Etowah, TN to Chattanooga, TN
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
1h 17m
Distance
60.6 mi
97 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Etowah, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Chattanooga, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition from Etowah to Chattanooga, this 63.9-mile journey is a straightforward trek through Southeast Tennessee. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 8 minutes on the road, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Budgeting roughly $9 for fuel covers the trip comfortably, allowing you to focus on the transition between these two locations. Because the route involves no scheduled stops, you have the flexibility to power through the drive in one efficient go. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that connects these two points without unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Avenue | 18.7 mi | 24m |
| I 75 | 18.4 mi | 22m |
| US 64 | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| US 74 | 7 mi | 9m |
| I 24 | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| US 27 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| West Martin Luther King Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| L & N Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tennessee Avenue
— 18.7 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Etowah, TN and Chattanooga, TN.
1
Start on L & N Drive
115 ft
·
15 sec
·
L & N Drive
2
Turn left onto US 411; SR 30
19 mi
·
24 min
·
Tennessee Avenue
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
4
Merge onto US 64; US 74
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
US 64; US 74
5
Take the exit onto US 74; US 64 Bypass
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
US 74; US 64 Bypass
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 75
18 mi
·
22 min
·
I 75
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 24
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
I 24
Toward Chattanooga, Nashville
10
Take the exit onto US 27
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 27
Exit 178
Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 27
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 27
Exit 178
Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 27
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
US 27
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 1B
Toward Downtown
14
Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
TN 8
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Etowah, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 33.3 and 58.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
33.3 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
8
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
US 27
Take the exit onto US 27 toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 178
Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
10
58.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
US 27
Keep slight left at fork onto US 27 toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 178
Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
6
58.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
US 27
Keep slight left at fork onto US 27
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.47 one way
$18.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.66 | $23.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.48 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Chattanooga, TN
Morning in Chattanooga on Tuesday
Local time
6:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
1h 17m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend your time navigating Tennessee Avenue and I-24 West, moving through a landscape that demands your attention at the wheel. With 0% of the route on the highway, the experience feels much more grounded and immediate than a standard high-speed commute. Since the longest stretch on Tennessee Avenue is 0 miles, you should anticipate constant adjustments and turns throughout the duration of your travel. This route is best suited for drivers who prefer active, local roads over the repetitive nature of long-distance highway travel.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on Tennessee Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Tennessee Avenue and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 52 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.5 miles (US 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Etowah, TN to Chattanooga, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Nashville along the way.
Nashville
52 mi in
|
~1h 5m
About the Cities
Arriving in Chattanooga, TN
Full guide →Founded 1839
Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennessee. It is the seat of Hamilton County. It is in Southeast Tennessee on the Tennessee River and near the border of Georgia. It was immortalized in the popular 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo", made famous by Glenn Miller.
Top landmarks
- • Delta Queen — paddle steamer launched in 1926
- • Hunter Museum of American Art — art museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- • Saints Peter and Paul Basilica — historic church in Tennessee, United States
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 1h 17m. Total distance: 60.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.7 miles on Tennessee Avenue. 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 Chattanooga, 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: at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 52 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.5 miles (US 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chattanooga, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Chattanooga, TN
More trips to Chattanooga, TN
Explore more options from Etowah, TN or browse trips ending in Chattanooga, TN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TN road trips.