How far is Johnson City, TN from Bluff City, TN?

The driving distance from Johnson City, TN to Bluff City, TN is about 15 miles (24.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.2 miles (19.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
15.05 mi
00h 26m
Flight
12.25 mi
19.71 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Johnson City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.25 mi
Kilometers
19.71 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
15.05 mi
Kilometers
24.22 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bluff City
Thu, Apr 23, 4:07 AM EDT
Return by in Johnson City
Thu, Apr 23, 4:33 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Johnson City
2026-04-23T03:40
Arrive Bluff City
Thu, Apr 23, 4:07 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:38 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Johnson City
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Watauga
TN

Human settlement in Tennessee, United States of America

From Johnson City
7.5 mi
00h 13m
To Bluff City
7.5 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W
Destination
75°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Johnson City and Bluff City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Johnson City and Bluff City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    132 m · 35 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Buffalo Street

    1620 ft · 56 sec · Buffalo Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Roan Street

    1633 ft · 37 sec · North Roan Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto East Watauga Avenue

    1812 ft · 45 sec · East Watauga Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Oak Street

    135 m · 11 sec · Oak Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp straight

    962 ft · 24 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto James H. Quillen Parkway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · James H. Quillen Parkway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 11E North, US 19W North

    1990 ft · 48 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto North Roan Street

    2932 ft · 1 min · North Roan Street

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto Bristol Highway

    8.5 mi · 14 min · Bristol Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right

    843 ft · 21 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Bluff City Highway

    2 mi · 4 min · Bluff City Highway

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Fleming Drive

    528 ft · 16 sec · Fleming Drive

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Main Street

    1714 ft · 34 sec · Main Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Johnson City and Bluff City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
15 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
99.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bristol Highway
8.71 mi · 58%
Bluff City Highway
2.04 mi · 14%
James H. Quillen Parkway
1.64 mi · 11%
North Roan Street
0.86 mi · 6%
US 11E North
0.38 mi · 3%
East Watauga Avenue
0.34 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Bristol Highway

Turn slight right onto Bristol Highway

8.55 mi · 00h 14m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.8 mi
12.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Watauga
00h 13m from Johnson City
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Johnson City and Sunny near Bluff City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Johnson City to Bluff City?

The road trip is about 15 miles (24.2 km) and usually takes 00h 26m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Watauga is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.5 miles from Johnson City and 7.5 miles from Bluff City.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 12.2 miles (19.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.00 one way or $4.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Johnson City and Sunny near Bluff City.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Johnson City and Bluff City. Straight-line distance: 12.25 mi (19.71 km).

Johnson City

#1 Johnson City

The most populous city in Washington County, Tennessee.

Population66,906
Coordinates36.3134400, -82.3534700
Altitude498
CountryUnited States
Bluff City

#2 Bluff City

City in Harper County, Kansas, United States of America

Population1,670
Coordinates36.4742700, -82.2609700
Altitude442
CountryUnited States
Start: Johnson City (-82.35347, 36.31344)
End: Bluff City (-82.26097, 36.47427)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 24 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.53 gal
2.01 L · about $2.00
Round trip
$4.00
1.06 gal · 4.02 L
Estimated CO2
4.7 kg one way
Round trip: 9.4 kg / 21 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.00 $4.00
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.25 $4.51
Premium $4.65 $2.47 $4.93
Diesel $5.30 $2.81 $5.62

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Tennessee · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Johnson City and Bluff City. The current time is 03:40:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.