Origin
Nashville, TN
Night in Nashville on Saturday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nashville, TN to Baxter, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
72.1 mi
116 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nashville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Baxter, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Nashville to Baxter, you are looking at a manageable 72.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Because of the short distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a simple day outing rather than an overnight excursion. You can expect to spend roughly $11 on fuel for the round trip, making it a budget-friendly option for your schedule. The route keeps you entirely within the Southeast region of Tennessee, transitioning from the urban center of Nashville toward the more relaxed environment of Baxter. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of pace, this direct drive offers a straightforward connection between the two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 24 | 65.1 mi | 1h 10m |
| Old Baxter Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Downtown Loop | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| James Robertson Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Interstate Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 24
— 65.1 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nashville, TN and Baxter, TN.
1
Start on this road
0.4 mi
·
2 min
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto James Robertson Parkway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
James Robertson Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto Interstate Drive
451 ft
·
9 sec
·
Interstate Drive
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 24 East
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 24
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Downtown Loop
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 24
65 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 24
Exit 50A
Toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga
Use the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit
492 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Old Baxter Road
9
Turn left onto SR 141
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Old Baxter Road
10
Arrive at destination
SR 141
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.1 miles from Nashville, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 24 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 65.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 2.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
James Robertson Parkway
Turn left onto James Robertson Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Interstate Drive
Turn right onto Interstate Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 24 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 24 East
9
2.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 24 toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 50A
Toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattan...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.27 one way
$22.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.38 | $24.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.87 | $27.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.92 | $31.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.57 | $3.46 |
| Efficient EV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.8 | 0 | $10.09 | $4.61 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Baxter, TN
Night in Baxter on Saturday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Alexandria, TN
36 mi in
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
20 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
1h 25m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 91% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on major roads. The journey is dominated by a long, 65.1-mile stretch along I-24, which serves as the primary artery for your travel. You will encounter a mix of heavy-traffic interstate driving before the route transitions into the more localized feel of Old Baxter Road and the Downtown Loop. While the initial portion of the drive moves quickly, the pace shifts as you exit the highway and navigate the final segments of the trip. It is a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding backroads.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 65.1 mi on I 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 24 and Old Baxter Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 25m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (James Robertson Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (Interstate Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 72.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 65.1 miles on I 24. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (James Robertson Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (Interstate Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Baxter, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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