Connecting Tupelo to Clinton, this 201.4-mile journey across Mississippi is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 4 hours and 5 minutes. Because the drive is manageable within a single day, you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Plan to budget approximately $31 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. You will spend the vast majority of your time on highways, as the route is 89% highway-focused. It serves as an efficient connection through the heart of the Southeast, making it a practical option for travelers looking to move between these two Mississippi cities without a complex itinerary.
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
100.7 miles from Tupelo, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MS 25
136.8 mi
2h 38m
US Highway 45 Alternate
35.7 mi
43m
Martin Luther King Drive
8.7 mi
10m
US 45 ALT
7.2 mi
8m
Clinton Boulevard
4 mi
7m
East Woodrow Wilson Avenue
2.9 mi
5m
Martin Luther King, Junior Drive
2.3 mi
2m
Bullard Street
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
MS 25
— 136.8 mi, about 2h 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tupelo, MS and Clinton, MS.
1
Start on North Spring Street
68 ft·5 sec·North Spring Street
2
Turn right onto Court Street
317 ft·16 sec·Court Street
3
Turn right onto North Front Street
287 ft·15 sec·North Front Street
4
Turn left onto East Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·East Main Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
6
Merge onto US 45; MS 6
1.0 mi·1 min·Martin Luther King Drive
7
Continue on US 45; MS 6
2.3 mi·2 min·Martin Luther King, Junior Drive
8
Continue on US 45; US 278
7.7 mi·8 min·Martin Luther King Drive
9
Continue on US 45 ALT
1.4 mi·1 min·US 45 ALT
10
Continue on US 45 ALT
2.2 mi·2 min·US 45 ALT
11
Continue on US 45 ALT
1.5 mi·1 min·US 45 ALT
12
Continue on US 45 ALT
0.7 mi·49 sec·US 45 ALT
13
Continue on US 45 ALT
1.4 mi·1 min·US 45 ALT
14
Continue on US 45 ALT
36 mi·43 min·US Highway 45 Alternate
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit onto MS 25
12 mi·13 min·MS 25
Toward US 82 West, MS 12 West, MS 25 South: Starkville
16
Take the exit onto MS 25
5.0 mi·6 min·MS 25
Toward MS 25 South: Louisville
17
Continue on MS 25
1.9 mi·2 min·MS 25
Use the left lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto MS 25
25 mi·28 min·MS 25
19
Take the exit onto MS 25
93 mi·1 hr 47 min·MS 25
20
At end of road, turn left onto Old Canton Road
0.2 mi·20 sec·Old Canton Road
21
Turn straight onto US 51
0.3 mi·33 sec·North State Street
22
Turn right onto East Woodrow Wilson Avenue
2.9 mi·5 min·East Woodrow Wilson Avenue
23
Continue on Bullard Street
1.3 mi·2 min·Bullard Street
24
Turn straight onto West Capitol Street
0.2 mi·19 sec·West Capitol Street
25
Continue on Clinton Boulevard
4.0 mi·7 min·Clinton Boulevard
26
Turn right onto Oakwood Drive
0.5 mi·1 min·Oakwood Drive
27
Turn right onto Hester Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·Hester Street
28
Turn left onto East Leake Street
310 ft·14 sec·East Leake Street
29
Turn right onto Hester Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Hester Street
30
At end of road, turn left onto Dunton Road
452 ft·19 sec·Dunton Road
31
Arrive at destination
Dunton Road
Trip Plan
Since this is a one-day trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule best. With only one recommended stop planned, you should prioritize your rest breaks early to keep your energy levels consistent throughout the 4-hour and 5-minute duration. Keep a close eye on your fuel levels before starting the 136.8-mile stretch on MS 25, as this is where you will spend the bulk of your time away from service stations. Because the drive is relatively short, you can easily reach Clinton by late afternoon if you leave in the morning. Use the $31 fuel budget as a baseline, but consider keeping a little extra set aside for local traffic fluctuations near your 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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 100.7 miles from Tupelo, MS, or about 2h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 136.8 miles.
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 44 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.7 miles or 2h 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clinton, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tupelo, MS 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 Tupelo, MS
This is one driving day of about 201.4 miles and 4h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Tupelo, MS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on MS 25 for about 136.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 201.3 — 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|Court Street
Turn right onto Court Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Front Street
Turn right onto North Front Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
54.9 mi into trip|~1h 7m in|MS 25
Take the exit onto MS 25 toward US 82 West, MS 12 West, MS 25 South: Starkville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 82 West, MS 12 West, MS 25 South: Sta...
6
201.3 mi into trip|~4h 5m in|Dunton Road
At end of road, turn left onto Dunton Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.42 one way
$60.83 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$33.39
$66.78
premium
$4.56
$36.15
$72.30
diesel
$5.61
$44.47
$88.93
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.4
0
$21.15
$9.67
Efficient EV
50.4
0
$17.62
$8.06
EV Truck/SUV
80.6
1
$28.20
$12.89
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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 13, 2026
Origin
Tupelo, MS
Late night
in Tupelo on Sunday
Local time
2:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
S 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Clinton, MS
Late night
in Clinton on Sunday
Local time
2:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
79°F
Philadelphia, MS
101 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
30 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
4h 5m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 194.5
In July, 1864, federal forces, including men from the United States Colored Troops, marched into Tupelo, Mississippi. Disorganized Confederate soldiers fought fiercely but could not overpower the fede...
The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is five sections of hiking trail running roughly parallel to the 444-mile long Natchez Trace Parkway scenic motor road. The foot trails total more than 60 miles...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a drive defined by high-speed efficiency rather than winding backroads. You will rely primarily on MS 25, US Highway 45 Alternate, and Martin Luther King Drive to reach your destination. A significant portion of your time behind the wheel will be spent on the longest uninterrupted stretch of 136.8 miles along MS 25, which allows you to settle into a steady rhythm. The route maintains a consistent highway-focused personality, keeping the driving experience predictable and focused on making good time. Navigating these major corridors ensures you stay on track throughout the 201.4-mile transit.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 136.8 mi on MS 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MS 25 and US Highway 45 Alternate. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Court Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 201.4 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 5m. Total distance: 201.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 136.8 miles on MS 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Tupelo National Battlefield and Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Clinton, MS, but most travelers stay overnight.
