Clarksville TN to Chattanooga drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Clarksville TN to Chattanooga is 179 miles, with a 2h59m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Clarksville TN to Chattanooga drive are Nashville, Manchester TN and South Cumberland State Park.
Planning a Clarksville TN to Chattanooga road trip itinerary
The drive from Clarksville TN to Chattanooga takes you from the north of Tennessee to the south.
Clarksville TN is the seat of Montgomery County and brushes up against the Kentucky border. The cultural highlight is the Customs House Museum, which brings art and history together. But the star attraction in Clarksville is Dunbar Cave State Park.
Dunbar Cave is home to Mississippian cave art from the 14th century. But you can also enjoy five miles of hiking trails, spotting wildlife along the way.
Chattanooga in the foothills of the Appalachians is home to the National Medal of Honor Heritage Museum and the Tennessee Aquarium. But it’s mostly an outdoorsy place. Great Chattanooga experiences include rafting on the Middle Ocoee River, backcountry tours in Swincars and kayak adventures to the Nickajack Bat Cave. You can also try Segway tours, guided ghost walks and trolley tours.
Clarksville TN to Chattanooga distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Clarksville TN to Chattanooga is 179 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 59 minutes.
The best stops on a Clarksville TN to Chattanooga road trip itinerary are Nashville, Manchester TN and South Cumberland State Park.
Clarksville TN to Chattanooga road trip attractions: Nashville
Nashville is renowned for its country music, but the National Museum of African American Music is also in the Tennessee capital.
The best Nashville experiences include backstage tours of the Grand Ole Opry House, helicopter flights over the city and tasting tours at the Big Machine Distillery. You can also try line dancing classes, the Country Music Hall of Fame and haunted pub crawls. Or, for lavish old homes, visit Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, the Travellers Rest Historic House Museum and Belmont Mansion.
Excellent Nashville accommodation choices include the gloriously evocative Belle Air Mansion and Inn, plus downtown’s grand dame, the Hermitage.
How to see Nashville the smart way
You can save money in Nashville by combining a tour ticket with admission to two top attractions. These combo tickets give you a half day tour of the main sights, plus entrance to the Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame. Find out more here.
Best stops between Clarksville and Chattanooga: Manchester, TN
The town of Manchester isn’t especially riveting, although you can visit Common John Brewing and the Beans Creek Winery.
It is, however, the gateway to several photogenic waterfalls. The closest to the town centre are Blue Hole Falls and Big Falls in Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park. Head a little further west, and there are plenty more – Rutledge Falls has a glorious swimming hole at the bottom.
Clarksville TN to Chattanooga drive: South Cumberland State Park
South Cumberland State Park is pretty big, and it covers a significant chunk of the Cumberland Plateau. There are several hiking trails and camping spots, plus a series of waterfalls. The largest of these is Foster Falls, but the easiest to access from the I-24 is Sycamore Falls near Tracy City.
This is only a 12ft waterfall, but it’s wide and there’s a great swimming hole at the bottom.
More Clarksville TN road trips
Knoxville to Clarksville TN | Memphis TN to Clarksville TN.
More Chattanooga road trips
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