Hendersonville, TN to Madisonville, TN is 177.6 miles and takes about 3h 47m via I 40, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Tennessee, traversing the Southeast region. Expect a drive primarily on major highways, making it a straightforward journey. Given its manageable length and duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
88.8 miles from Hendersonville, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
85.2 mi
1h 31m
SR 68
42.8 mi
1h 3m
SR 109
13.3 mi
18m
Watts Bar Highway
10 mi
13m
North Main Street
7.6 mi
11m
Vietnam Veterans Boulevard
5.5 mi
6m
New Lake Road
3.4 mi
6m
South Water Avenue
2.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 85.2 mi, about 1h 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hendersonville, TN and Madisonville, TN.
1
Start on Walton Ferry Road
53 ft·4 sec·Walton Ferry Road
2
Turn right onto US 31E
1.7 mi·2 min·West Main Street
3
Continue on US 31E
1.4 mi·2 min·Gallatin Road
4
Continue on US 31E
0.7 mi·1 min·East Main Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward SR 386 North
6
Merge onto TN 386
5.5 mi·6 min·Vietnam Veterans Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on SR 665
0.9 mi·1 min·Long Hollow Pike
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Toward SR 109 South: Gallatin, Lebanon
9
Merge onto SR 109
2.6 mi·2 min·SR 109
10
Take the exit
291 ft·8 sec
11
Merge onto SR 109
2.1 mi·2 min·South Water Avenue
12
Continue on SR 109
7.1 mi·11 min·SR 109
13
Continue on SR 109
3.6 mi·4 min·SR 109
14
Turn left
0.4 mi·58 sec
Toward I 40 East: Knoxville
15
Merge onto I 40
85 mi·1 hr 31 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 317Toward US 127, TN 28: Crossville, Jamestown
17
Turn straight onto US 127
7.6 mi·11 min·North Main Street
18
Continue on SR 68
20 mi·30 min·SR 68
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on Herb M Wassom Mem Highway
0.1 mi·12 sec·Herb M Wassom Mem Highway
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on Piccadilly Avenue
0.5 mi·55 sec·Piccadilly Avenue
21
Continue on SR 302
3.4 mi·6 min·New Lake Road
22
At end of road, turn left onto SR 68; SR 302
10 mi·13 min·Watts Bar Highway
23
Enter roundabout
128 ft·2 sec
24
Continue
38 ft·1 sec
25
Turn slight right onto SR 68
23 mi·33 min·SR 68
26
Turn left onto Warren Street
1.0 mi·1 min·Warren Street
27
Turn right onto College Street South
8 ft·0 sec·College Street South
28
Arrive at destination
College Street South
Trip Plan
Starting your drive from Hendersonville in the morning will give you ample time to reach Madisonville comfortably within a single day. With a total duration of under 4 hours, you won't need to split the drive, offering flexibility in your departure time. Plan for one stop to refuel or stretch your legs, especially considering the longest stretch without a break is over 85 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you near the end of the I 40 segment, as services may become less frequent on the state routes.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 88.8 miles from Hendersonville, TN, or about 1h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.2 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 39 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.8 miles or 1h 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Madisonville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hendersonville, 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 Hendersonville, TN
This is one driving day of about 177.6 miles and 3h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Hendersonville, 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 85.2 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.1 and 143.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.1 mi into trip|~6m in|TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard
Merge onto TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
10.6 mi into trip|~14m in
Take the exit toward SR 109 South: Gallatin, Lebanon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SR 109 South: Gallatin, Lebanon
5
26.7 mi into trip|~37m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
111.9 mi into trip|~2h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 127, TN 28: Crossville, Jamestown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 317
Toward US 127, TN 28: Crossville, Jamestown
5
143.8 mi into trip|~2h 58m in|SR 68; SR 302 / Watts Bar Highway
At end of road, turn left onto SR 68; SR 302 / Watts Bar Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.77 one way
$55.53 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$30.49
$60.97
premium
$4.89
$34.18
$68.36
diesel
$5.61
$39.21
$78.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.3
0
$18.65
$8.52
Efficient EV
44.4
0
$15.54
$7.10
EV Truck/SUV
71
0
$24.86
$11.37
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Hendersonville, TN
Late night
in Hendersonville on Sunday
Local time
5:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Madisonville, TN
Morning
in Madisonville on Sunday
Local time
6:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°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
30 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
3h 47m 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.
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
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 30.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 80% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience long stretches of consistent speed, including an uninterrupted segment of 85.2 miles on I 40. The profile suggests a drive characterized by efficiency and forward momentum, rather than winding scenic byways. While the majority is high-speed travel, be prepared for the transition to state routes like SR 68 and SR 109 as you approach your destination.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.2 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and SR 68. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in near TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 177.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 4.1 miles (TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.7 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Between Hendersonville, TN and Madisonville, TN, road signs point toward Lebanon and Jamestown.
Hendersonville is a city in Sumner County of the American state of Tennessee. It is a well-known suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, and has been the home of many country music stars, including Conway Twitty, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 47m. Total distance: 177.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 85.2 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 Madisonville, 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 4.1 miles (TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.7 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Madisonville, TN, but most travelers stay overnight.
