Smyrna to North Druid Hills is 66.8 miles and takes about 1h 19m via Purple Heart Highway and Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia and the Southeast region, traversing mostly surface roads. Given its relatively short distance and duration, this route is easily manageable in a single day. It offers a straightforward connection between two points without extensive detours, making it a practical choice for local travel.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Purple Heart Highway
46.6 mi
50m
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
7.2 mi
8m
Madison Bypass
4.2 mi
6m
Greensboro Road
3 mi
4m
North Druid Hills Road
2.6 mi
5m
Stone Mountain Freeway
1 mi
1m
Eatonton Road
0.6 mi
1m
Lavista Road Northeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 46.6 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, GA and North Druid Hills, GA.
1
Start on Buckhead Road
103 ft·6 sec·Buckhead Road
2
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12
3.0 mi·4 min·Greensboro Road
3
Turn left onto US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass
4.2 mi·6 min·Madison Bypass
4
Continue on US 129; US 441; GA 24
0.6 mi·1 min·Eatonton Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·25 sec
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
6
Continue on I 20
47 mi·50 min·Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
Exit 67BToward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, ChattanoogaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 285
7.2 mi·8 min·Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Exit 39AToward US 78 West: Decatur, AtlantaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 78; GA 410
1.0 mi·1 min·Stone Mountain Freeway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 1Toward Valley Brook Road, North Druid Hills RoadUse the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto North Druid Hills Road
2.6 mi·5 min·North Druid Hills Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto GA 236
342 ft·12 sec·Lavista Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left
69 ft·5 sec
15
Turn right
250 ft·18 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 33.4 miles from Smyrna, GA, 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.8 and 63.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
7.8 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
8
54.9 mi into trip|~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattanooga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67B
Toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattano...
5
55.3 mi into trip|~1h 3m 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
62.5 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward US 78 West: Decatur, Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39A
Toward US 78 West: Decatur, Atlanta
8
63.9 mi into trip|~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Valley Brook Road, North Druid Hills Road
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 1
Toward Valley Brook Road, North Druid Hills Roa...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.45 one way
$20.89 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$11.42
$22.84
premium
$4.70
$12.36
$24.73
diesel
$5.61
$14.75
$29.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20
0
$7.01
$3.21
Efficient EV
16.7
0
$5.85
$2.67
EV Truck/SUV
26.7
0
$9.35
$4.28
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Smyrna, GA
Morning
in Smyrna on Tuesday
Local time
7:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 1:39AM EDT until April 20 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 1:38AM EDT until April 20 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
Destination
North Druid Hills, GA
Morning
in North Druid Hills on Tuesday
Local time
7:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Clear
N 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 1:39AM EDT until April 20 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 1:38AM EDT until April 20 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
82°F
Oxford, GA
33 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
4 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 19m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive involves minimal highway time, with only 2% of the 66.8-mile trip on major highways. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 46.6 miles along Purple Heart Highway. You'll spend the majority of your time navigating surface roads. Expect to encounter numerous intersections and traffic signals as you transition from highway segments to local thoroughfares.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.6 mi on Purple Heart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.8 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.8 miles you will encounter 13 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 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 54.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.3 miles (I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Smyrna, GA and North Druid Hills, GA, road signs point toward Chattanooga and Atlanta.
Chattanooga
54.9 mi in|~1h 2m
Atlanta
62.5 mi in|~1h 11m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 66.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m 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 46.6 miles on Purple Heart Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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.
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 North Druid Hills, 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 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 54.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.3 miles (I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 North Druid Hills, GA before heading back.
