Origin
Rockwood, TN
Late night in Rockwood on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockwood, TN to Chattanooga, 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
70.2 mi
113 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 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockwood, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Chattanooga, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 70.2-mile drive from Rockwood, TN, to Chattanooga, TN, is a manageable day trip, taking about 1 hour and 25 minutes. You'll primarily navigate local roads, including Rhea County Highway and Dayton Pike, with no highway driving. The estimated fuel cost is around $11, making it an economical journey. Given its short duration and turn-heavy profile, this route offers a relaxed pace for exploring the Southeast region. It's perfect for a leisurely afternoon drive or as a segment of a larger Tennessee adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rhea County Highway | 31.9 mi | 39m |
| Dayton Pike | 31.5 mi | 36m |
| Spring City Highway | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| South Gateway Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West Martin Luther King Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Rockwood Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Kingston Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Rhea County Highway
— 31.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockwood, TN and Chattanooga, TN.
1
Start on North Kingston Avenue
201 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Kingston Avenue
2
Turn right onto East Rockwood Street
348 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Rockwood Street
3
Turn left onto US 27; US 70
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South Gateway Avenue
4
Continue on US 27
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Spring City Highway
5
Continue on US 27
32 mi
·
39 min
·
Rhea County Highway
6
Continue on US 27
31 mi
·
36 min
·
Dayton Pike
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 1A
Toward Downtown
8
Turn straight onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
9
Arrive at destination
TN 8
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.1 miles from Rockwood, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 69.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Rockwood Street
Turn right onto East Rockwood Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 27; US 70 / South Gateway Avenue
Turn left onto US 27; US 70 / South Gateway Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
69.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 1A
Toward Downtown
4
69.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Turn straight onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.97 one way
$21.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.05 | $24.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.50 | $31.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.37 | $3.37 |
| Efficient EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.14 | $2.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.1 | 0 | $9.83 | $4.49 |
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
Chattanooga, TN
Late night in Chattanooga on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
84°F
Dayton, TN
35 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
1 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with 0% highway share. The roads are predominantly local, so you'll experience a more intimate connection with the landscape rather than high-speed travel. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 31.9 miles on Rhea County Highway, offering a good period to settle into the drive. This route isn't about long, uninterrupted stretches of fast driving; it's more about navigating through communities and experiencing the local road network.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.9 mi on Rhea County Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Rockwood Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rockwood, TN to Chattanooga, TN is easy. At 1h 25m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Rockwood Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 27; US 70 / South Gateway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 69.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Chattanooga, TN
Full guide →Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennessee. It is the seat of Hamilton County. It is in Southeast Tennessee on the Tennessee River and near the border of Georgia. It was immortalized in the popular 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo", made famous by Glenn Miller.
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 1h 25m. Total distance: 70.2 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 (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.9 miles on Rhea County Highway. 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: near the start (East Rockwood Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 27; US 70 / South Gateway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 69.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chattanooga, 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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