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Trip from Forest Hills, TN to East Chattanooga, TN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h

Distance

96.5 mi

155 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 26 min
4 AM
1h 52m ★
6 AM
2h 0m
8 AM
2h 18m
10 AM
2h 6m
12 PM
2h 5m
3 PM
2h 7m
5 PM
2h 17m
8 PM
1h 55m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Forest Hills, TN, TN

Forest Hills, TN

Connor Scott McManus

Trip Overview

This 104.7-mile drive from Forest Hills, TN, to East Chattanooga, TN, is a manageable 1-hour and 51-minute journey. Designed as a single-day trip, it's perfect for a quick excursion within the Southeast region. With a fuel cost estimated at $16, this route keeps expenses low. The drive focuses on local roads, meaning you'll be navigating through neighborhoods and towns rather than high-speed highways. If you're looking for an uncomplicated drive that gets you from point A to point B without much fuss, this option is worth considering.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Midpoint

48.3 miles from Forest Hills, TN

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 24 60.7 mi 1h 9m
Wattendorf Memorial Highway 10.6 mi 14m
US 41A 8 mi 9m
Madison Street 7.5 mi 9m
Wattendorf Highway 1.7 mi 2m
Riverside Drive 1.3 mi 2m
Wilcox Boulevard 0.9 mi 2m
Dodson Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 24 — 60.7 mi, about 1h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Forest Avenue

0.2 mi · 50 sec · Forest Avenue
2

At end of road, turn right onto US 41A

7.5 mi · 9 min · Madison Street
3

Continue on UA 41A

0.3 mi · 19 sec · UA 41A
4

Merge onto US 41A

8.0 mi · 9 min · US 41A
5

Turn left onto SR 55

0.4 mi · 32 sec · West Carroll Street
6

Turn right onto South Anderson Street

0.3 mi · 51 sec · South Anderson Street
7

Continue on Forrest Boulevard

0.6 mi · 1 min · Forrest Boulevard
8

Continue on Wattendorf Highway

1.7 mi · 2 min · Wattendorf Highway
9

Continue on Wattendorf Memorial Highway

11 mi · 14 min · Wattendorf Memorial Highway
10

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 15 sec
11

Merge onto I 24

61 mi · 1 hr 9 min · I 24
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 184B Toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga
13

Continue on US 27

0.7 mi · 59 sec · US 27
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 1B Toward Downtown
15

Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

0.3 mi · 50 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16

Turn left onto Georgia Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Georgia Avenue
17

Turn right onto East 4th Street

0.4 mi · 35 sec · East 4th Street
18

Turn straight

0.1 mi · 22 sec
19

Continue on Riverside Drive

1.3 mi · 2 min · Riverside Drive
20

Turn right onto Wilcox Boulevard

0.9 mi · 2 min · Wilcox Boulevard
Use the right lane.
21

Turn left onto SR 17

0.8 mi · 1 min · Dodson Avenue
22

Turn right onto SR 17

0.4 mi · 45 sec · Glass Street
23

Turn sharp right onto North Chamberlain Avenue

52 ft · 1 sec · North Chamberlain Avenue
24

Arrive at destination

North Chamberlain Avenue

Trip Plan

Given its short duration of under two hours, this 104.7-mile route offers flexibility for departure times. You can leave Forest Hills, TN, at your leisure, perhaps after a relaxed morning. Since there are no designated stops, plan your own breaks as needed, especially since the drive is characterized by frequent turns and local roads. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, though the estimated $16 cost suggests it won't be a major concern. A practical tip for this route: be mindful of the numerous intersections and potential speed limit changes as you transition through different local areas.

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 48.3 miles from Forest Hills, TN, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.7 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 21 miles or 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 48.3 miles or 1h 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 35m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Forest Hills, 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 Forest Hills, TN

This is one driving day of about 96.5 miles and 2h.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Forest Hills, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 24 for about 60.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Monteagle, TN, TN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Monteagle, TN

48 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

Tullahoma, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Monteagle, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 48.3 miles from Forest Hills, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 24 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.7 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+14237604333

Visit website

Fiery Gizzard State Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour

Monteagle, Tennessee

Hours: 8 am–4:30 pm

+18888672757

Visit website

Renaissance Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+14236436096

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 90.5 and 96.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
90.5 mi into trip | ~1h 48m in

Take the exit toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 184B Toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga
5
91.6 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in

Take the exit toward Downtown

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 1B Toward Downtown
6
91.8 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in | West Martin Luther King Boulevard

Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
94.4 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in | Wilcox Boulevard

Turn right onto Wilcox Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
96.5 mi into trip | ~2h in | North Chamberlain Avenue

Turn sharp right onto North Chamberlain Avenue

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.09 one way

$30.17 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $16.56 $33.13
premium $4.89 $18.57 $37.14
diesel $5.61 $21.31 $42.61

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: 33.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29 0 $10.13 $4.63
Efficient EV 24.1 0 $8.44 $3.86
EV Truck/SUV 38.6 0 $13.51 $6.18

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (68% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Forest Hills, TN

Morning in Forest Hills on Tuesday

Local time

9:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

East Chattanooga, TN

Morning in East Chattanooga on Tuesday

Local time

10:43 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live 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 later

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

Temperature spread

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

2h 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 for the entirety of this 104.7-mile trip, as indicated by its 0% highway share. This means you won't encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of high-speed travel. Instead, you'll be navigating through various local streets, including Madison Street, West Carroll Street, and South Anderson Street, which will require your constant attention. The profile suggests a journey that is more about local navigation and community passage than open road cruising, making it an engaging, albeit not fast, experience behind the wheel.

72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.7 mi on I 24.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 24 and Wattendorf Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 90.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 90.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 91.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 91.8 miles (West Martin Luther King Boulevard): 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.

On the drive from Forest Hills, TN to East Chattanooga, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.

Downtown

91.6 mi in | ~1h 50m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h. Total distance: 96.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (72%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 60.7 miles on I 24. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: at 90.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 91.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 91.8 miles (West Martin Luther King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East 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.

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