This 326.8-mile journey from Grimsley, TN to Memphis, TN will take you about 6 hours and 7 minutes of driving time. It's a straightforward, highway-focused trip that can easily be completed in a single day, making it ideal for a quick getaway or efficient travel. You'll spend 92% of your time on major highways, primarily I-40. With an estimated fuel cost of $51, this route offers a budget-friendly option for traversing Tennessee from east to west. The drive spans across the Southeast region, offering a consistent travel experience throughout.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
163.4 miles from Grimsley, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
300.1 mi
5h 28m
West Deer Lodge Highway
14.9 mi
22m
South York Highway
6.2 mi
8m
Downtown Loop
2.9 mi
3m
East Commercial Avenue
1.3 mi
2m
South Holly Street
0.7 mi
<1m
North 2nd Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Monterey Highway
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 300.1 mi, about 5h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grimsley, TN and Memphis, TN.
1
Start on this road
42 ft·5 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto US 127
6.2 mi·8 min·South York Highway
3
Turn right onto SR 62
15 mi·22 min·West Deer Lodge Highway
4
Turn straight onto SR 62
1.3 mi·2 min·East Commercial Avenue
5
Turn left onto SR 84
0.7 mi·58 sec·South Holly Street
6
Turn straight onto US 70N; SR 84
366 ft·7 sec·Monterey Highway
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
8
Merge onto I 40
87 mi·1 hr 34 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi·3 min·I 40
Exit 213BToward I 24 West, I 40 West: NashvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
0.4 mi·42 sec·I 40
Toward I 40 West: Huntsville, MemphisUse the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 40
0.6 mi·52 sec·Downtown Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 40
2.3 mi·3 min·Downtown Loop
Exit 210AToward I 40 West, I 65 North: Memphis, LouisvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
197 mi·3 hr 33 min·I 40
Toward I 40 West: MemphisUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto I 40
0.1 mi·8 sec·I 40
Exit 10A-BToward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississippi, Little Rock
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
11 mi·13 min·I 40
Exit 10BToward I 40 West: Little RockUse the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi·2 min·I 40
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 1AToward Second Street, Third StreetUse the slight right lane.
18
Continue on North 2nd Street
0.2 mi·30 sec·North 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto Poplar Avenue
202 ft·4 sec·Poplar Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Poplar Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour, 7-minute duration, starting your drive from Grimsley, TN early in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Memphis with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to pace yourself, but be mindful of the longest stretch of 300.1 miles on I-40, which means planning your fuel well in advance. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you get closer to Memphis, to avoid any unexpected delays on this highway-focused path.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 163.4 miles from Grimsley, TN, or about 3h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 300.1 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 72 miles or 1h 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163.4 miles or 3h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Memphis, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grimsley, 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 Grimsley, TN
This is one driving day of about 326.8 miles and 6h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 miles from Grimsley, 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 40 for about 300.1 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 110.7 and 326.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
110.7 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 213B
Toward I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville
8
112.8 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Huntsville, Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 40 West: Huntsville, Memphis
7
116.1 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 40 West: Memphis
8
313.1 mi into trip|~5h 50m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10B
Toward I 40 West: Little Rock
8
326.4 mi into trip|~6h 6m in
Take the exit toward Second Street, Third Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1A
Toward Second Street, Third Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.09 one way
$102.18 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg114 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$56.10
$112.19
premium
$4.89
$62.89
$125.78
diesel
$5.61
$72.15
$144.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
98
1
$34.31
$15.69
Efficient EV
81.7
0
$28.60
$13.07
EV Truck/SUV
130.7
1
$45.75
$20.92
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 14, 2026
Origin
Grimsley, TN
Late night
in Grimsley on Tuesday
Local time
3:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Memphis, TN
Late night
in Memphis on Tuesday
Local time
3:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
SSW 15 mph2% 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
36 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
6h 7m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Stones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 90.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-centric experience for the majority of this 326.8-mile drive, with 92% of the route utilizing major interstates. The bulk of your travel, a continuous 300.1 miles, will be on I-40. This means consistent speeds and limited opportunities for spontaneous stops along the way. While primarily an interstate grind, you'll briefly touch upon West Deer Lodge Highway and South York Highway, offering minor shifts in scenery before merging back onto the main thoroughfare towards Memphis.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 300.1 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and West Deer Lodge Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 110.7 miles in near I 40.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 326.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 110.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 112.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.1 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Grimsley, TN to Memphis, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Louisville along the way.
Memphis is the second largest city in the state of Tennessee, after Nashville. The state rests in the southeastern portion of the United States. Memphis, with a population of more than 651,000 (2019), is also the county seat for Shelby County. The city's claims to fame include Graceland, the mansion Elvis Presley lived in during his later years. Perhaps more importantly, Memphis is considered by many to be the home of blues music.
Top landmarks
•Graceland — mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, United States; former residence of Elvis Presley
•Blues Hall of Fame — award by Blues Foundation, since 2015 also a music museum in Memphis, Tennessee
•National Civil Rights Museum — hotel that was site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., now a museum
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 7m. Total distance: 326.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 7m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 300.1 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Memphis, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 110.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 112.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.1 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Memphis, TN before the return drive.
