Origin
Atkins, AR
Morning in Atkins on Sunday
Local time
8:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atkins, AR to Little Rock, AR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
62.7 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atkins, AR
Tima Miroshnichenko
Little Rock, AR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition from Atkins to Little Rock, this 62.7-mile journey is a straightforward trek across Arkansas. Plan for about 1 hour and 8 minutes of travel time, making this an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via I-40 before transitioning into the city via Pike Avenue and West 3rd Street. Budget roughly $10 for fuel, which keeps this short-haul excursion very budget-friendly. Because the entire route stays within the Southeast region, you won't experience any major shifts in landscape or climate. It is a highly practical drive for those needing to connect between these two points efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 57.8 mi | 58m |
| Pike Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| West 3rd Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Broadway Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Broadway Bridge | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Mac Arthur Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| State Capitol | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 57.8 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atkins, AR and Little Rock, AR.
1
Start on Northeast 4th Street
281 ft
·
14 sec
·
Northeast 4th Street
2
Turn right onto AR 105
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Church Street
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
4
Merge onto I 40
58 mi
·
58 min
·
I 40
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward AR 365
6
Turn straight onto AR 365
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Mac Arthur Drive
7
Continue on AR 365
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Pike Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Enter roundabout onto AR 365
289 ft
·
5 sec
·
West Broadway Street
9
Continue on AR 365
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Broadway Street
10
Turn right onto US 70
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Broadway Bridge
11
Continue on US 70
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Broadway Street
12
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 3rd Street
13
Turn left onto State Capitol
314 ft
·
13 sec
·
State Capitol
14
Continue on State Capitol
440 ft
·
20 sec
·
State Capitol
15
Continue on State Capitol
415 ft
·
25 sec
·
State Capitol
16
Turn sharp left
260 ft
·
19 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.4 miles from Atkins, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 58.5 and 62.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
58.5 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward AR 365
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward AR 365
4
60.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
AR 365 / West Broadway Street
Enter roundabout onto AR 365 / West Broadway Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
61.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
West 3rd Street
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
62.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
State Capitol
Turn left onto State Capitol
Navigation decision point
6
62.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.47 one way
$18.94 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $10.39 | $20.79 |
| premium | $4.56 | $11.25 | $22.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.84 | $27.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.58 | $3.01 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.1 | 0 | $8.78 | $4.01 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Little Rock, AR
Morning in Little Rock on Sunday
Local time
8:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 8m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a classic interstate-focused drive, as 92% of your journey is conducted on major highways. You will spend the vast majority of your time on a 57.8-mile stretch of I-40, which allows for consistent, uninterrupted travel. This portion of the trip is designed for speed and directness rather than winding, technical roads. As you near your destination, the character of the drive shifts from high-speed highway cruising to the more localized flow of Pike Avenue and West 3rd Street. It is a functional, no-nonsense route that prioritizes getting you to Little Rock with minimal fuss.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.8 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Pike Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 58.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 8m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 58.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 60.5 miles (AR 365 / West Broadway Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 61.7 miles (West 3rd Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Atkins, AR
Full guide →River Valley is in northwest Arkansas along the Arkansas river.
Arriving in Little Rock, AR
Full guide →Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the state of Arkansas. Little Rock is a cultural, economic, government, and transportation center within Arkansas and the American South. Several cultural institutions are in Little Rock, along with hiking, boating, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. Little Rock's history is available through history museums, historic districts or neighborhoods.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 62.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 57.8 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 58.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 60.5 miles (AR 365 / West Broadway Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 61.7 miles (West 3rd Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Little Rock, AR before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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