The drive from Johnson, TN to Ripley, TN covers 334.4 miles and takes about 6h 33m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, TN 19, East Main Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 283.5 miles on I 40.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
167.2 miles from Johnson, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
283.5 mi
5h 6m
TN 19
15.7 mi
23m
East Main Street
9.5 mi
14m
Loudon Highway
5.4 mi
8m
Decatur Highway
4.6 mi
6m
Sweetwater Road
3.6 mi
6m
Downtown Loop
2.9 mi
3m
Johnson Valley Road
2.5 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 283.5 mi, about 5h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Johnson, TN and Ripley, TN.
1
Start on Raby Town Road
135 ft·6 sec·Raby Town Road
2
Continue on Johnson Valley Road
2.5 mi·9 min·Johnson Valley Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto SR 322
3.6 mi·6 min·Sweetwater Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto SR 72
5.4 mi·8 min·Loudon Highway
5
At end of road, turn right onto SR 58
4.6 mi·6 min·Decatur Highway
6
Continue on SR 58
2.2 mi·5 min·South Kentucky Street
7
Turn left
0.3 mi·43 sec
8
Merge onto I 40
139 mi·2 hr 29 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
142 mi·2 hr 33 min·I 40
Toward I 40 West: MemphisUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward US 70: Brownsville, Ripley
15
Turn right onto US 70
9.5 mi·14 min·East Main Street
16
Enter roundabout onto TN 54
401 ft·10 sec·West Main Street
17
Continue on TN 54
0.9 mi·1 min·West Main Street
18
Turn right onto Haralson Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Haralson Street
19
Turn right onto TN 19
16 mi·23 min·TN 19
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto Eastland Avenue
1.1 mi·2 min·Eastland Avenue
21
Turn right onto Highland Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Highland Avenue
22
Turn right onto South Jefferson Street
0.2 mi·20 sec·South Jefferson Street
23
Turn right onto West Washington Street
314 ft·13 sec·West Washington Street
24
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Trip Plan
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 167.2 miles from Johnson, TN, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 283.5 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 74 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 167.2 miles or 3h 19m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ripley, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Johnson, 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 Johnson, TN
This is one driving day of about 334.4 miles and 6h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Johnson, 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 283.5 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 18.7 and 163.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
18.7 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.
9
157.8 mi into trip|~3h 7m 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
159.9 mi into trip|~3h 10m 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
5
160.4 mi into trip|~3h 11m in|I 40 / Downtown Loop
Merge onto I 40 / Downtown Loop
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
163.3 mi into trip|~3h 15m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.85 one way
$103.69 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg117 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$56.85
$113.70
premium
$4.93
$64.88
$129.76
diesel
$5.60
$73.71
$147.43
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
100.3
1
$35.11
$16.05
Efficient EV
83.6
0
$29.26
$13.38
EV Truck/SUV
133.8
1
$46.82
$21.40
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 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 Sep 4, 2026
Origin
Johnson, TN
Night
in Johnson on Friday
Local time
10:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 2:09PM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 1:46PM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Ripley, TN
Night
in Ripley on Friday
Local time
9:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 2:09PM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 1:46PM CDT until September 5 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
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 earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
2 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 33m 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...
21 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 138.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
334.4 mi in 6h 33m, mostly highway — 283.5 mi of that is on I 40.
89% 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: 283.5 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and TN 19. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.7 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 19 significant decision points across 334.4 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 18.7 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 157.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 159.9 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,793 ft402 ft
Total Climb
1,223 ft
Total Descent
1,683 ft
Highest Point
1,793 ft
~71.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,391 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Johnson, TN and Ripley, TN, road signs point toward Memphis and Louisville.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 33m. Total distance: 334.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 33m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 283.5 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 Ripley, 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 18.7 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 157.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 159.9 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.6 hours each way, a round trip means 13.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Ripley, TN before the return drive.
