Jackson, TN to Tracy City, TN is 216.1 miles and takes about 4h 4m via I 40 and I 24, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Tennessee, moving from the western part of the state to the southeastern region. The profile is highway-focused, meaning you'll mostly be on major interstates. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this is a straightforward single-day drive, perfect if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
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
108.1 miles from Jackson, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
89.2 mi
1h 35m
I 24
59.2 mi
1h 4m
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
52.2 mi
55m
Tracy Road
5.1 mi
9m
Whitehall Street
4 mi
6m
US 70
1.8 mi
2m
West Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
East Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 89.2 mi, about 1h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, TN and Tracy City, TN.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East Main Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto US 70
1.8 mi·2 min·US 70
3
Turn right onto US 70
4.0 mi·6 min·Whitehall Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·32 sec
5
Merge onto I 40
89 mi·1 hr 35 min·I 40
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
7
Merge onto I 840
52 mi·55 min·Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi·2 min
Exit 53AToward I 24 East: ChattanoogaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 24
59 mi·1 hr 4 min·I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward US 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
11
Turn slight right
264 ft·9 sec
12
Turn straight onto US 41A
1.2 mi·2 min·West Main Street
13
Turn left onto US 41
0.2 mi·30 sec·Fairmont Avenue
14
Turn straight onto US 41
5.1 mi·9 min·Tracy Road
15
Turn right onto Pine Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·Pine Street
16
Turn left onto Railroad Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Railroad Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Railroad Avenue
Trip Plan
Since this is a 4h 4m drive with a recommended single day, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will allow ample time for the drive and any brief stops you might need. You'll encounter one designated stop area, so plan for a fuel and rest break around the halfway point, perhaps after the 89.2-mile stretch on I 40. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as most of the journey is on interstates where services can be spaced out. The $34 fuel cost is an estimate, so factor in current prices when budgeting.
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 108.1 miles from Jackson, TN, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.2 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 48 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.1 miles or 1h 59m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tracy City, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jackson, 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 Jackson, TN
This is one driving day of about 216.1 miles and 4h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Jackson, 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 89.2 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 96 and 209 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
96 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
5
96.7 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Merge onto I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
149 mi into trip|~2h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 53A
Toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
5
149.7 mi into trip|~2h 45m in|I 24
Merge onto I 24
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
209 mi into trip|~3h 50m in
Take the exit toward US 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.78 one way
$67.57 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$37.09
$74.19
premium
$4.89
$41.59
$83.17
diesel
$5.61
$47.71
$95.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.8
0
$22.69
$10.37
Efficient EV
54
0
$18.91
$8.64
EV Truck/SUV
86.4
1
$30.25
$13.83
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Jackson, TN
Late night
in Jackson on Tuesday
Local time
3:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tracy City, TN
Late night
in Tracy City on Tuesday
Local time
3:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
6 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
4h 4m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
near mile 149.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for 94% of this route, primarily utilizing I 40 and I 24. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 89.2 miles on I 40, so be prepared for extended periods of steady driving. While the majority is interstate, the inclusion of Tennessee National Guard Parkway suggests a potential shift in road type towards the end, possibly offering a slightly different driving experience. This route prioritizes speed and directness over winding backroads, making it a functional transit.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89.2 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 24. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 96 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 216.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 96 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 96.7 miles (I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 149 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Jackson, TN to Tracy City, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Franklin along the way.
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.
Not to be confused with the much larger city in California.
Tracy City is a town of 1,400 people (2019) in Grundy County in central Tennessee. There are many hills, rock faces, and beautiful streams in the countryside surrounding Tracy City. The town is built around a few streams that flow through its limits.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 4m. Total distance: 216.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 89.2 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.
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 96 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 96.7 miles (I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 149 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Tracy City, TN, but most travelers stay overnight.
