Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s primary campus is located in Roane County, Tennessee, about 7 miles from the center of the city of Oak Ridge and about 25 miles from the McGhee Tyson Airport near Knoxville.
ORNL has two entry portals: an East Entry Portal accessible from Oak Ridge or Knoxville via TN-162/Pellissippi Parkway and the West Entry Portal accessible via Hwy 95 from I-40 West, Exit 364. The East Portal is generally more congested, and guests are encouraged to use the West Portal for less congested access.
Exit the airport, taking US 129 North toward Knoxville. Proceed approximately 1.5 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.
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).
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).
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).
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.
Explore ORNL with our interactive campus map. Find buildings, visitor destinations, parking areas, amenities, and key points of interest with an easy-to-use, searchable map designed to help you navigate campus before and during your visit.
ORNL’s Hardin Valley Campus comprises three facilities: the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, the National Transportation Research Center, and the Grid Research Innovation and Development Center, located off Cherahala Road in west Knoxville.
