Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 45m
Distance
246.8 mi
397 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$38
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Roswell, GA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Roswell, GA to Lakeland, GA covers 246.8 miles and takes about 4h 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Fall Line Freeway, I 75, West 4th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 116.3 miles on Fall Line Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.82 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
123.4 miles from Roswell, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 23m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Line Freeway | 116.3 mi | 2h 4m |
| I 75 | 64.8 mi | 1h 11m |
| West 4th Street | 23.1 mi | 34m |
| Larry Justice Highway | 16.1 mi | 17m |
| T Harvey Mathis Parkway | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| Downtown Connector | 5 mi | 6m |
| Turner McDonald Parkway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| North Atlanta Street | 3.4 mi | 6m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 296 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~4,873 veh/hr typical · worst 5,953
Quietest
2 AM
~818 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Roswell, GA and Lakeland, GA.
Start on GA 9; GA 120
Turn left onto Northridge Road
Turn right
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 19; GA 400
Continue on GA 400
Merge onto I 85
Continue on I 75; I 85
Continue on I 75; I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Keep slight right at fork onto I 475
Merge onto I 75; GA 540
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn slight left onto GA 37
Turn straight onto US 129; GA 11; GA 37; GA 122
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 54 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 123.4 miles or 2h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakeland, GA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Roswell, GA 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 Roswell, GA
This is one driving day of about 246.8 miles and 4h 45m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
123 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.
A short stop after about 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 123.4 miles from Roswell, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Fall Line Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 116.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.4 and 223.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Northridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 475 / Larry Justice Highway toward I 475 South: Valdosta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward GA 37: Adel, Moultrie, Nashville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward GA 37 East: Adel, Nashville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$37.82 one way
$75.63 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $41.50 | $83.00 |
| premium | $4.64 | $45.06 | $90.11 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $54.40 | $108.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74 | 0 | $25.91 | $11.85 |
| Efficient EV | 61.7 | 0 | $21.60 | $9.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 98.7 | 1 | $34.55 | $15.80 |
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Roswell on Wednesday
Local time
6:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in Lakeland on Wednesday
Local time
6:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Cloudy
69°F
Jackson, GA
123 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
246.8 mi in 4h 45m, mostly highway — 116.3 mi of that is on Fall Line Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Fall Line Freeway and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in near Northridge Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 246.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles (Northridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 26 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 90.8 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
247 ft
Total Descent
1,131 ft
Highest Point
1,082 ft
Elevation Range
885 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Roswell, GA and Lakeland, GA, road signs point toward Moultrie and Nashville.
Moultrie
Nashville
Founded 1854
Roswell is a city in Metro Atlanta.
Top landmarks
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 45m. Total distance: 246.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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