Origin
Knoxville, TN
Morning in Knoxville on Sunday
Local time
10:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Knoxville, TN to Rocky Top, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
25.8 mi
41 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Knoxville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Rocky Top, TN
Kelly
Trip Overview
Knoxville, TN to Rocky Top, TN is 25.8 miles and takes about 34m via I 75 and I 275, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short hop within the Southeast region, staying within Tennessee. You'll primarily be on interstate highways for this quick trip. Given the brief duration and straightforward path, this drive is ideal for those looking for a simple, efficient transit between two points. Consider this a quick connection rather than an extensive journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 20.2 mi | 25m |
| I 275 | 3 mi | 3m |
| North Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Norris Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Henley Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 20.2 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Knoxville, TN and Rocky Top, TN.
1
Start on US 441
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Henley Street
2
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 40, I 275 North: Nashville, Asheville, Lexington
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Nashville, Lexington: I 275 North, I 40 West
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 275 North: Lexington
5
Continue on I 275
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 275
6
Continue on I 75
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 75
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 441: Rocky Top, Lake City
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
9
Turn slight right onto US 441
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Norris Freeway
10
Turn left onto US 25W; SR 116
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
11
Continue on US 25W
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Main Street
12
Turn right onto 4th Street
14 ft
·
0 sec
·
4th Street
13
Arrive at destination
4th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 24.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the exit toward I 40, I 275 North: Nashville, Asheville, Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40, I 275 North: Nashville, Asheville,...
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Nashville, Lexington: I 275 North, I 40 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Nashville, Lexington: I 275 North, I 40...
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 275 North: Lexington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 275 North: Lexington
5
24.3 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward US 441: Rocky Top, Lake City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 441: Rocky Top, Lake City
5
24.5 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.03 one way
$8.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.43 | $8.86 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.96 | $9.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Rocky Top, TN
Morning in Rocky Top on Sunday
Local time
10:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
9 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
34m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 91% of the journey taking place on interstates like I 75 and I 275. You can expect long, uninterrupted stretches, including one segment of 20.2 miles on I 75 where you'll maintain consistent speeds. The character is predominantly that of a fast-paced interstate transit, minimizing time spent on local roads. It's a direct route designed for efficient travel between Knoxville and Rocky Top.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.2 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and I 275. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 25.8 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Knoxville, TN to Rocky Top, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Lake City along the way.
Lake City
24.3 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Starting in Knoxville, TN
Full guide →Knoxville, in Knox County, is the third-largest city in Tennessee. It is the home of the University of Tennessee's primary campus (UTK) and site of the 1982 World's Fair.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 25.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.2 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Rocky Top, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rocky Top, TN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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