This 321.1-mile journey from Obion, TN to East Chattanooga, TN is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that can comfortably be completed in about 6 hours and 3 minutes. With 97% of the drive on highways, it's designed for efficient travel, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. You can expect a fuel cost of approximately $49 for this route. The drive primarily utilizes US 412 and I-24, keeping you on well-maintained roads for most of the way. Given its manageable duration and highway focus, this route is a practical choice for travelers looking to cover ground efficiently within Tennessee.
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
160.5 miles from Obion, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 412
131.7 mi
2h 26m
I 24
103.1 mi
1h 54m
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
52.2 mi
55m
US 51
24.7 mi
27m
Riverside Drive
1.3 mi
2m
Wilcox Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
West Palestine Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Dodson Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 412
— 131.7 mi, about 2h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Obion, TN and East Chattanooga, TN.
1
Start on this road
88 ft·12 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street
257 ft·13 sec·Main Street
3
Turn right onto 8th Street
401 ft·23 sec·8th Street
4
Turn left onto SR 183
0.9 mi·1 min·West Palestine Avenue
5
Continue on SR 183
0.5 mi·1 min·Elbridge-Obion Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 51 South: Dyersburg
7
Merge onto US 51
16 mi·17 min·US 51
8
Take the exit onto US 51
8.8 mi·10 min·US 51
Toward US 51 South, US 412 East: Dyersburg, Jackson
9
Continue on US 412
5.7 mi·6 min·US 412
10
Continue on US 412
29 mi·34 min·US 412
11
Turn left onto US 412
97 mi·1 hr 44 min·US 412
Toward I-40 East, US 412 East: NashvilleUse the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
13
Merge onto I 840
52 mi·55 min·Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.8 mi·2 min
Exit 53AToward I 24 East: ChattanoogaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 24
103 mi·1 hr 54 min·I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
Exit 184BToward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga
17
Continue on US 27
0.7 mi·59 sec·US 27
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 1BToward Downtown
19
Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
0.3 mi·50 sec·West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
20
Turn left onto Georgia Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Georgia Avenue
21
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.4 mi·35 sec·East 4th Street
22
Turn straight
0.1 mi·22 sec
23
Continue on Riverside Drive
1.3 mi·2 min·Riverside Drive
24
Turn right onto Wilcox Boulevard
0.9 mi·2 min·Wilcox Boulevard
Use the right lane.
25
Turn left onto SR 17
0.8 mi·1 min·Dodson Avenue
26
Turn right onto SR 17
0.4 mi·45 sec·Glass Street
27
Turn sharp right onto North Chamberlain Avenue
52 ft·1 sec·North Chamberlain Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
North Chamberlain Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 6-hour, 321.1-mile drive, consider an early morning departure from Obion to maximize daylight and minimize traffic. With only one recommended stop and a significant 131.7-mile stretch on US 412, plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly. You’ll want to fill up before embarking on that longer segment. The estimated fuel cost is around $49, so factor that into your budget. Since this route is well under a full day of driving, you have flexibility to adjust your pace or add a brief stop if needed, but the highway focus means you can also push through to your destination efficiently.
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 160.5 miles from Obion, TN, or about 3h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 131.7 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 71 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 160.5 miles or 3h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Chattanooga, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Obion, 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 Obion, TN
This is one driving day of about 321.1 miles and 6h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 miles from Obion, 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 US 412 for about 131.7 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 316.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|8th Street
Turn right onto 8th Street
Navigation decision point
6
61.1 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|US 412
Turn left onto US 412 toward I-40 East, US 412 East: Nashville
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I-40 East, US 412 East: Nashville
7
211.1 mi into trip|~3h 55m 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
6
316.4 mi into trip|~5h 54m in|West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.20 one way
$100.40 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg112 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$55.12
$110.24
premium
$4.89
$61.79
$123.59
diesel
$5.61
$70.89
$141.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 112.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
96.3
1
$33.72
$15.41
Efficient EV
80.3
0
$28.10
$12.84
EV Truck/SUV
128.4
1
$44.95
$20.55
Gas CO2
112 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (66% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Obion, TN
Night
in Obion on Saturday
Local time
11:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
East Chattanooga, TN
Late night
in East Chattanooga on Sunday
Local time
12:40 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
31 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 3m 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...
3 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 210.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-centric experience on this route, with a substantial 97% of your miles spent on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 131.7 miles on US 412, offering a period of consistent travel. While primarily a highway drive, it incorporates sections of Tennessee National Guard Parkway, adding a bit of variety. The overall character is one of steady progress, with most of the driving focused on reaching your destination efficiently rather than exploring local byways. You'll likely find the roads well-suited for maintaining a good pace.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 412 is the longest continuous segment at about 131.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 412 and I 24. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
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 321.1 miles you will encounter 20 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: near the start (Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 61.1 miles (US 412): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,081 ft277 ft
Total Climb
1,063 ft
Total Descent
656 ft
Highest Point
1,081 ft
~252.3 mi in
Elevation Range
804 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Obion, TN and East Chattanooga, TN, road signs point toward Jackson and Franklin.
Jackson
17.7 mi in|~21m|via US 51
Franklin
158.2 mi in|~2h 57m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 3m. Total distance: 321.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Obion, TN to East Chattanooga, TN covers 321.1 miles and takes about 6h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 412, I 24, Tennessee National Guard Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 160.5 miles from Obion, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.20 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 321.1 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 61.1 miles (US 412): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Obion, TN and East Chattanooga, TN, road signs point toward Jackson and Franklin.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 277 ft to 1,081 ft elevation with about 1,063 ft of total climbing.
