How far is Knoxville, TN from Cowan, TN?

The driving distance from Knoxville, TN to Cowan, TN is about 167.5 miles (269.5 km), with a travel time of about 03h 15m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 129.7 miles (208.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 30m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
167.45 mi
03h 15m
Flight
129.7 mi
208.73 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Knoxville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
129.7 mi
Kilometers
208.73 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
167.45 mi
Kilometers
269.48 km
Drive Time
03h 15m

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 03h 15m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cowan
Sat, Apr 18, 10:46 PM CDT
Return by in Knoxville
Sun, Apr 19, 3:02 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Knoxville
2026-04-18T20:31
Arrive Cowan
Sat, Apr 18, 11:46 PM EDT
Route Timing
03h 15m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
8:15 AM to 10:15 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:30 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Knoxville
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Cleveland
TN

A city in Bradley County, Tennessee.

From Knoxville
83.7 mi
01h 37m
To Cowan
83.8 mi
01h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 15 mph S
Destination
85°F
Saturday

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Knoxville and Cowan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Knoxville and Cowan.

  1. 1

    Start on Henley Street

    1056 ft · 20 sec · Henley Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Henley Street

    727 ft · 14 sec · Henley Street

  3. 3

    Turn slight left onto Western Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Western Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Ailor Avenue

    2326 ft · 43 sec · Ailor Avenue

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward I 40 West, I 75 South

    1637 ft · 40 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    18.3 mi · 21 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 75 South: Chattanooga

    83.1 mi · 1 hr 31 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville

    1.1 km · 56 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Chattanooga, Nashville

    51.7 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee

    990 ft · 27 sec

  11. 11

    Turn slight right

    15 m · 10 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1.6 mi · 2 min · West Main Street

  13. 13

    Continue on David Crockett Highway

    2171 ft · 37 sec · David Crockett Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Sewanee Highway

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Sewanee Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Sollace M Freeman Highway

    2 mi · 3 min · Sollace M Freeman Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Sewanee Highway

    5 mi · 7 min · Sewanee Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Cumberland Street East

    1.4 km · 1 min · Cumberland Street East

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Tennessee Avenue North

    3 m · 1 sec · Tennessee Avenue North

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Tennessee Avenue North

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Knoxville and Cowan.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
19 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 75 South
83.1 mi · 50%
Chattanooga
51.7 mi · 31%
I 40 West
18.6 mi · 11%
Sewanee Highway
6.8 mi · 4%
Sollace M Freeman Highway
1.99 mi · 1%
West Main Street
1.59 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 75 South

Keep slight left to continue on I 75 South: Chattanooga

83.1 mi · 01h 31m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 15m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37.8 mi
129.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cleveland
01h 37m from Knoxville
Leave By
10:30 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Knoxville and Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Cowan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Knoxville to Cowan?

The road trip is about 167.5 miles (269.5 km) and usually takes 03h 15m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Cleveland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 83.7 miles from Knoxville and 83.8 miles from Cowan.

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

The direct path is about 129.7 miles (208.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.8 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:30 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $22.29 one way or $44.57 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 52.5 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Knoxville and Cowan, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Knoxville and Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Cowan.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Knoxville and Cowan. Straight-line distance: 129.7 mi (208.73 km).

Knoxville

#1 Knoxville

The most populous city in Tennessee.

Population190,223
Coordinates35.9606400, -83.9207400
Altitude276
CountryUnited States
Cowan

#2 Cowan

Human settlement in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States of America

Population1,668
Coordinates35.1645300, -86.0105400
Altitude297
CountryUnited States
Start: Knoxville (-83.92074, 35.96064)
End: Cowan (-86.01054, 35.16453)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 269 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 11m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 47m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 05m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.91 gal
22.37 L · about $22.29
Round trip
$44.57
11.82 gal · 44.74 L
Estimated CO2
52.5 kg one way
Round trip: 105 kg / 231 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $22.29 $44.57
Mid-grade $4.25 $25.14 $50.27
Premium $4.65 $27.51 $55.01
Diesel $5.30 $31.35 $62.69

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 19, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Knoxville, TN and Cowan, TN. The current time in Knoxville is 20:31:26, although it is 19:31:26 in Cowan.

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.