Driving Directions

Directions to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Visitor Center

• Speed Limits
• Driving to ORNL from Knoxville's McGhee-Tyson Airport
• Driving to ORNL from downtown Knoxville
• Driving to ORNL from the South (Chattanooga) and West (Nashville)
• Driving to ORNL from the North (Lexington)
• Driving to ORNL from Oak Ridge
• Driving to Oak Ridge Hotels
• General Area Map

	ORNL Visitor Center

Speeds limit signs are posted along the Bethel Valley Road entrance to ORNL. Once you have arrived at ORNL, the campus speed limit is 25 mph, unless otherwise posted. These limits are strictly enforced for the safety of staff members and visitors. Please observe the speed limits as you drive at ORNL.

Driving to ORNL from Knoxville's McGhee-Tyson Airport
(ORNL Visitor Center phone: 865.574.7199)

Exit the airport, taking US 129 North toward Knoxville. Proceed approximately three miles, then exit onto I-140 to Oak Ridge. Continue on I-140 approximately 11.5 miles, straight (left lane) onto Pellissippi Parkway (TN 162 North). Continue straight on TN 162 across the Herman B. Postma bridge. Merge to the right-lane exit for Bethel Valley Road, proceed straight past the traffic light to the ORNL east vehicle entrance. (See visitor information on pre-arranging your visit.) Once you are verified, continue about 5 miles on Bethel Valley Road. After the 2nd traffic light, enter the traffic circle, or roundabout, and go 3/4ths of the way around to enter the Visitor Center parking lot. The Visitor Center is the glassed-in section of the ORNL Conference Center (map of the Visitor Center vicinity).

• Map of the route from the airport to ORNL
• Map to the ORNL Visitor Center
• Mapquest map and directions from the airport to ORNL
• Map of the Oak Ridge Area

Driving to ORNL from downtown Knoxville
(ORNL Visitor Center phone: 865.574.7199)

Take Interstate 40 West out of downtown Knoxville. After approximately 10 miles, take Exit 376 onto Pellissippi Parkway (TN 162) following the signs to Oak Ridge. Continue straight on TN 162 across the Herman B. Postma bridge. Merge to right-lane exit for Bethel Valley Road, proceed straight past the traffic light to the ORNL east vehicle entrance. (See visitor information on pre-arranging your visit.) Once you are verified, continue about 5 miles on Bethel Valley Road. After the 2nd traffic light, enter the traffic circle, or roundabout, and go 3/4ths of the way around to enter the Visitor Center parking lot. The Visitor Center is the glassed-in section of the ORNL Conference Center nearest Bethel Valley Road (map of the Visitor Center vicinity).

Alternate route from Knoxville:  From I-40 West, take Exit 364, turn right (north) onto TN 95. Proceed about 4 miles on TN 95 and turn right onto Bethel Valley Road. Proceed a short distance to the west vehicle entrance. Once you are verified, continue about 1.5 miles to the Conference Center entrance at the roundabout, take the first right. The Visitor Center will be to the left in the glassed-in section of the Research Support Center; temporary visitor parking is on the right (map of the Visitor Center vicinity).

• Map of the route from the airport to ORNL
• Map to the ORNL Visitor Center
• Mapquest map and directions from downtown Knoxville
• Map of the Oak Ridge Area

Driving to ORNL from the South (Chattanooga) and West (Nashville)
(ORNL Visitor Center phone: 865.574.7199)

Past the point where I-75N and I-40E join, take the Mabry Hood Exit 376 onto TN 162 (Pellissippi Parkway), following the signs to Oak Ridge. Cross the Herman B. Postma bridge. Merge to the right-lane exit for Bethel Valley Road, proceed straight past traffic light to the ORNL east vehicle entrance. (See visitor information on pre-arranging your visit.) Once you are verified, continue about 5 miles on Bethel Valley Road.After the 2nd traffic light, enter the traffic circle, or roundabout, and go 3/4ths of the way around to enter the Visitor Center parking lot. The Visitor Center is the glassed-in section of the ORNL Conference Center (map of the Visitor Center vicinity).

Alternate route from Nashville and Chattanooga: I-75 North, take Exit 81, turn left (north) onto TN 95. From I-40 East, take Exit 364, turn left (north) onto TN 95. In either case, once past I-40, proceed about 4 miles on TN 95 and turn right onto Bethel Valley Road. Proceed a short distance to the west vehicle entrance. Once you are verified, continue about 1.5 miles to the Conference Center entrance at the roundabout, take the first right. The Visitor Center will be to the left in the glassed-in section of the Research Support Center nearest Bethel Valley Road, temporary visitor parking is to the right (map of the Visitor Center vicinity).

• Map of the Oak Ridge area
• Map to the ORNL Visitor Center
• Mapquest map and directions from Chattanooga
• Mapquest map and directions from Nashville

Driving to ORNL from the North (Lexington)
(ORNL Visitor Center phone: 865.574.7199)

From I-75 South, take I-640W to I-40W. Take Exit 376 onto Pellissippi Parkway (TN 162) following the signs to Oak Ridge. Continue straight on TN 162 across the Herman B. Postma bridge. Merge to right-lane exit for Bethel Valley Road, proceed straight past the traffic light to the ORNL east vehicle entrance. (See visitor information on pre-arranging your visit.) Once you are verified, continue about 5 miles on Bethel Valley Road. After the 2nd traffic light, enter the traffic circle, or roundabout, and go 3/4ths of the way around to enter the Visitor Center parking lot. The Visitor Center is the glassed-in section of the ORNL Conference Center (map of the Visitor Center vicinity).

• Map of the Oak Ridge area
• Map to the ORNL Visitor Center
• Mapquest map and directions from Lexington

Driving to ORNL from Oak Ridge
(ORNL Visitor Center phone: 865.574.7199)

Proceed south on Illinois Avenue, staying in right lane. At intersection of S. Illinois and Scarboro Road/Lafayette Road, go right on Scarboro Road. Immediately merge to the left lane. Stay in left lane and proceed through traffic light past the Y-12 Plant (seen on the right). Proceed on Scarboro Road over the hill to the intersection with Bethel Valley Road (the next traffic light). Take the  right entrance ramp onto Bethel Valley Road and continue to the ORNL east vehicle entrance. (See visitor information on pre-arranging your visit.) Once you are verified, continue about 5 miles on Bethel Valley Road. After the 2nd traffic light, enter the traffic circle, or roundabout, and go 3/4ths of the way around to enter the Visitor Center parking lot. The Visitor Center is the glassed-in section of the ORNL Conference Center on the left (map of the Visitor Center vicinity). Temporary parking is on the right.

• Map to the ORNL Visitor Center

Driving to Oak Ridge Hotels

From McGhee-Tyson Airport and the Pellissippi Parkway (TN 162): After the Cedar Bluff exit on the Pellississippi Parkway, follow the signs to Oak Ridge. Continue straight on TN 162 across the Herman B. Postma bridge. Proceed straight to the city of Oak Ridge as TN 162 becomes Illinois Avenue. You will reach the area with the city's primary hotel accommodations (general area map).

From the Laboratory: Go east on Bethel Valley Road. Turn left at the Scarboro Road traffic signal and drive past the Y-12 Plant. Go left again at the traffic light at Illinois Avenue. You will reach the area with the city's primary hotel accommodations (general area map).