Origin
Sandy Springs, GA
Late night in Sandy Springs on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sandy Springs, GA to Clarkston, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
15.5 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clarkston, GA
Vitaliy Mitrofanenko
Trip Overview
This short, 15.5-mile drive from Sandy Springs, GA to Clarkston, GA is a quick 22-minute trip perfect for a single day. With no highway driving, expect a more local feel as you navigate through the Southeast region. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is a budget-friendly $2. Given its brevity, this route is easily manageable without needing an overnight stay, offering flexibility for your schedule. It's a straightforward excursion that won't take up a significant portion of your day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 12.1 mi | 14m |
| East Ponce de Leon Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Hammond Drive Northeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Johnson Ferry Road Northeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Peachtree Dunwoody Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Glenridge Drive Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Mount Vernon Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
— 12.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sandy Springs, GA and Clarkston, GA.
1
Start on Mount Vernon Highway
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Mount Vernon Highway
2
Continue on Johnson Ferry Road Northeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnson Ferry Road Northeast
3
Turn right onto Glenridge Drive Northeast
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Glenridge Drive Northeast
4
Turn slight left onto Hammond Drive Northeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hammond Drive Northeast
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Peachtree Dunwoody Road
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Peachtree Dunwoody Road
6
Keep slight left at fork onto Peachtree Dunwoody Road
392 ft
·
16 sec
·
Peachtree Dunwoody Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
8
Merge onto I 285
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 40
Toward East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Clarkston
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto East Ponce de Leon Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Market Street
54 ft
·
2 sec
·
Market Street
12
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 14.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Peachtree Dunwoody Road
Keep slight left at fork onto Peachtree Dunwoody Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
2.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Merge onto I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Clarkston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 40
Toward East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Clarkston
6
14.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Turn left onto East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.42 one way
$4.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.65 | $5.30 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.87 | $5.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Clarkston, GA
Late night in Clarkston on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
22m 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?
Characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' this route features a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface streets for the entire 15.5 miles. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 12.1 miles on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, offering a brief period of consistent travel before you transition to local roads like East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Hammond Drive Northeast. Expect frequent turns and a more engaged driving experience as you navigate through various neighborhoods and intersections.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.1 mi on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near Peachtree Dunwoody Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 15.5 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 2 miles (Peachtree Dunwoody Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 15.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.1 miles on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Clarkston, GA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 2 miles (Peachtree Dunwoody Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. 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 Clarkston, GA 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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