Origin
Unicoi, TN
Morning in Unicoi on Sunday
Local time
6:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Unicoi, TN to Kingsport, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
32.6 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Unicoi, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Unicoi to Kingsport, you are looking at a manageable 32.6-mile journey that typically takes about 42 minutes to complete. This route keeps you entirely within the Southeast region of Tennessee, making it a perfect candidate for a quick day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via James H, South Wilcox Drive, and East Sullivan Street rather than relying on major interstates. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an incredibly economical way to travel between these two points. Because the distance is so short, you have plenty of flexibility to adjust your departure time to fit your own schedule without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| James H. Quillen Parkway | 27 mi | 31m |
| South Wilcox Drive | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| East Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Unicoi Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| SR 173 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Sullivan Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Center Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
James H. Quillen Parkway
— 27 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Unicoi, TN and Kingsport, TN.
1
Start on SR 173
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Unicoi Drive
2
Turn left onto SR 173
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
SR 173
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
4
Merge onto I 26; US 19W; US 23
27 mi
·
31 min
·
James H. Quillen Parkway
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 4
6
Keep slight left at fork
237 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 4
7
Continue on SR 126
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Wilcox Drive
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto East Sullivan Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Sullivan Street
9
Turn slight left onto East Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
10
Turn right onto Broad Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Broad Street
11
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
46 ft
·
1 sec
·
Broad Street
12
Continue on Broad Street
433 ft
·
19 sec
·
Broad Street
13
Turn left onto TN 36
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Center Street
14
Arrive at destination
TN 36
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 32.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 173
Turn left onto SR 173
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
28.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 4
5
32.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Broad Street
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
32.5 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
TN 36 / West Center Street
Turn left onto TN 36 / West Center Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.10 one way
$10.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.60 | $11.19 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.27 | $12.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.09 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Kingsport, TN
Morning in Kingsport on Sunday
Local time
6:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
17 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
42m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will spend your time navigating local roads that demand more attention than a straight-line highway trek. Since there are no designated stops along the way, you should prepare for a continuous drive from start to finish. The character of the road remains consistent throughout the 32.6 miles, focusing on local traffic patterns and town navigation. It is a practical, functional transit that prioritizes local connectivity over the high-speed transit often found on major regional corridors.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27 mi on James H. Quillen Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on James H. Quillen Parkway and South Wilcox Drive. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near SR 173.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 32.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.7 miles (SR 173): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 28.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Kingsport, TN
Full guide →Kingsport (pop. 48,205) is a city in Eastern Tennessee.
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 42m. Total distance: 32.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27 miles on James H. Quillen Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.7 miles (SR 173): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 28.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kingsport, TN 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Kingsport, TN
More trips to Kingsport, TN
Explore more options from Unicoi, TN or browse trips ending in Kingsport, TN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TN road trips.