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Trip from Smyrna, GA to Rutledge, GA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

21m

Distance

14.1 mi

23 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 20m ★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Smyrna, GA, GA

Smyrna, GA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Rutledge, GA, GA

Rutledge, GA

Enam Sape

Trip Overview

Smyrna, GA to Rutledge, GA is 14.1 miles and takes about 21 minutes via Atlanta Highway/Greensboro Road/North Main Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Georgia, traversing the Southeast region. It's a straightforward trip primarily on local roads, making it ideal for a quick local excursion or a brief connecting leg. You won't encounter any major highways, so expect a relaxed pace suitable for any day of the week.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Atlanta Highway 8 mi 11m
Greensboro Road 3 mi 4m
North Main Street 2.2 mi 4m
South Main Street 0.5 mi 1m
Newborn Road 0.2 mi <1m
West Dixie Highway <0.1 mi <1m
Buckhead Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Atlanta Highway — 8 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, GA and Rutledge, 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

Continue on US 129; US 278; US 441; GA 12; GA 24

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Main Street
4

Keep slight right at fork onto US 278; GA 12; GA 83

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
5

Continue on US 278; GA 12; GA 83

8.0 mi · 11 min · Atlanta Highway
6

Turn right onto Newborn Road

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Newborn Road
7

Turn left onto West Dixie Highway

205 ft · 4 sec · West Dixie Highway
8

Arrive at destination

West Dixie Highway

Heads-up: tricky spots

4 of 4

4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road

Turn left onto US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road

Navigation decision point

4
5.3 mi into trip | ~8m in | US 278; GA 12; GA 83 / South Main Street

Keep slight right at fork onto US 278; GA 12; GA 83 / South Main Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

3
13.8 mi into trip | ~21m in | Newborn Road

Turn right onto Newborn Road

Navigation decision point

4
14 mi into trip | ~21m in | West Dixie Highway

Turn left onto West Dixie Highway

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.24 one way

$4.49 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.41 $2.45 $4.89
premium $4.78 $2.65 $5.31
diesel $5.35 $2.97 $5.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.2 0 $1.48 $0.68
Efficient EV 3.5 0 $1.23 $0.56
EV Truck/SUV 5.6 0 $1.97 $0.90

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.

Forecast as of May 24, 2026

Origin

Smyrna, GA

Evening in Smyrna on Wednesday

Local time

6:57 PM

EDT

Current temp

83°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SE 0 to 5 mph 66% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued May 24 at 2:30AM EDT until May 25 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL

Destination

Rutledge, GA

Evening in Rutledge on Wednesday

Local time

6:57 PM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

0 mph 65% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued May 24 at 2:30AM EDT until May 25 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

21m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is entirely on surface roads, with a 0% highway share. The longest continuous stretch you'll drive on a single named road is 8 miles along Atlanta Highway. You'll be navigating through local streets and roads, so be prepared for typical surface road conditions rather than highway cruising. Expect to encounter traffic lights and intersections as you make your way through communities.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8 mi on Atlanta Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

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 US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 4 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 (US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 278; GA 12; GA 83 / South Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.8 miles (Newborn Road): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

711 ft 617 ft

Total Climb

250 ft

Total Descent

155 ft

Highest Point

711 ft

~14.1 mi in

Elevation Range

95 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Smyrna, GA

Full guide →

Founded 1832

Arriving in Rutledge, GA

Full guide →

Top landmarks

  • • Hard Labor Creek State Park — state park in Rutledge, Georgia, USA

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 21m. Total distance: 14.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

21m 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 8 miles on Atlanta Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 4 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 (US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 278; GA 12; GA 83 / South Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.8 miles (Newborn Road): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rutledge, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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