This 76.6-mile drive from Germantown, TN to Jackson, TN is a straightforward trip, clocking in at about 1 hour and 32 minutes. You'll primarily be on Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway and US 45 Bypass, with a relatively small portion on the highway. It's easily manageable as a single-day trip, and with an estimated fuel cost of $12, it's quite budget-friendly. Both your starting and ending points are in the Southeast region, so you won't be crossing any major regional boundaries on this journey. This route offers a practical way to get from one Tennessee city to another without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.3 miles from Germantown, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
63.2 mi
1h 8m
South Germantown Parkway
5.2 mi
8m
US 45 Bypass
3.2 mi
4m
South Germantown Road
2.2 mi
4m
Airways Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
West Main Street
0.6 mi
1m
Dogwood Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Southern Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
— 63.2 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Germantown, TN and Jackson, TN.
1
Start on Southern Avenue
0.1 mi·41 sec·Southern Avenue
2
Turn left onto Johnny Lane
0.1 mi·38 sec·Johnny Lane
3
Turn left onto Dogwood Road
0.2 mi·30 sec·Dogwood Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto South Germantown Road
2.2 mi·4 min·South Germantown Road
5
Continue on TN 177
5.2 mi·8 min·South Germantown Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
7
Merge onto I 40
63 mi·1 hr 8 min·Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward JacksonUse the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto US 45 Bypass
3.2 mi·4 min·US 45 Bypass
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto Airways Boulevard
1.1 mi·1 min·Airways Boulevard
11
Continue on West Main Street
0.6 mi·1 min·West Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 32-minute duration, this trip is best tackled in a single day, offering plenty of flexibility for when you depart. Since it's a shorter drive with an estimated fuel cost of $12, you won't need to worry too much about extensive refueling stops. However, pay attention to the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile; be ready for more frequent turns and potential traffic signals, especially as you navigate through local areas. A good tip is to plan your departure to avoid peak local commute times, which can significantly impact your travel time on roads like South Germantown Parkway.
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 38.3 miles from Germantown, TN, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.2 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 17 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.3 miles or 48m 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 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jackson, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Germantown, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Germantown, TN
This is one driving day of about 76.6 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Germantown, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway for about 63.2 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 71.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Johnny Lane
Turn left onto Johnny Lane
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Dogwood Road
Turn left onto Dogwood Road
Navigation decision point
5
8.3 mi into trip|~16m in|I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
71.5 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward Jackson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Jackson
5
71.7 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|US 45 Bypass
Merge onto US 45 Bypass
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.98 one way
$23.95 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$13.15
$26.30
premium
$4.89
$14.74
$29.48
diesel
$5.61
$16.91
$33.82
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23
0
$8.04
$3.68
Efficient EV
19.2
0
$6.70
$3.06
EV Truck/SUV
30.6
0
$10.72
$4.90
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Germantown, TN
Late night
in Germantown on Tuesday
Local time
3:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jackson, TN
Late night
in Jackson on Tuesday
Local time
3:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 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
1h 32m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 76.6-mile journey. While only 11% of the route is on highways, the majority of your travel will be on local roads and parkways, including Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway and US 45 Bypass. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 63.2 miles on Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway, which suggests a substantial portion of the drive will be on this primary road before transitioning. This profile means you'll likely experience more frequent intersections and changes in speed limits compared to a pure interstate experience.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.2 mi on Isaac Hayes 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 around 0.1 miles in near Johnny Lane.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 32m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Johnny Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Dogwood Road): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles (I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Jackson is a city in Western Tennessee that grew as a crossroads between various railroads in the four cardinal directions. It was the major commerce center of western Tennessee around the time of its founding in 1821 because Memphis had yet to emerge as a dominant community. Jackson hasn't been without its fair share of trials and travails as it knew the systemic ordeals of slavery for cotton production and lynchings and disenfranchisement as well as other places did in the South, plus high crime and tornadoes.
The longest stretch is about 63.2 miles on Isaac Hayes 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: at 0.1 miles (Johnny Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Dogwood Road): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles (I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jackson, TN before heading back.
