Origin
Rockwood, TN
Morning in Rockwood on Sunday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockwood, TN to East 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 26m
Distance
69.4 mi
112 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 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockwood, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Rockwood, TN to East Chattanooga, TN is 69.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via Rhea County Highway and Dayton Pike, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Tennessee, making it a straightforward trip between two points in the Southeast region. Expect a route with frequent turns and a local feel, rather than a high-speed interstate journey. Given its short duration, you can easily complete this trip in a single day, allowing for a relaxed pace.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rhea County Highway | 31.9 mi | 39m |
| Dayton Pike | 24.6 mi | 28m |
| Spring City Highway | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| TN 153 | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| SR 17 | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| South Gateway Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Glass Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Rockwood Street | <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 East 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
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Dayton Pike
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward TN 153 South: Chickamauga Dam
8
Continue on TN 153
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Dayton Pike
9
Keep slight left at fork onto TN 153
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
TN 153
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 5B
Toward SR 17 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto SR 17
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
SR 17
12
Turn right onto SR 17
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Glass Street
13
Turn left onto North Chamberlain Avenue
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Chamberlain Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
North Chamberlain Avenue
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 34.7 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
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 66.4 — 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
4
58.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward TN 153 South: Chickamauga Dam
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward TN 153 South: Chickamauga Dam
4
63 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
TN 153
Keep slight left at fork onto TN 153
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
66.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward SR 17 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5B
Toward SR 17 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.85 one way
$21.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.91 | $23.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.36 | $26.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.32 | $30.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.29 | $3.33 |
| Efficient EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.07 | $2.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.72 | $4.44 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
East Chattanooga, TN
Morning in East Chattanooga on Sunday
Local time
6:23 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 26m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating numerous intersections and changes in direction. With only an 8% highway share, most of your time will be spent on local roads like Rhea County Highway and Dayton Pike. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 31.9 miles on Rhea County Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent driving before the local road character returns. Prepare for a journey that requires attention to navigation due to its winding nature.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 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?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Rockwood Street.
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 26m 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: near the start (East Rockwood Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 27; US 70 / South Gateway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 58.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 69.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). 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 — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 58.1 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 East 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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