Augusta, AR to Fort Smith, AR is 201.2 miles and takes about 3h 42m via I 40, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. With 97% of the drive on highways, expect a fairly direct path. This is a straightforward, one-day trip that doesn't require overnight stays, making it a convenient option for getting between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
100.6 miles from Augusta, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
118.6 mi
1h 58m
US 64
60 mi
1h 10m
United States Highway 64
9.5 mi
14m
US 71
6.5 mi
7m
Shell Street
3 mi
4m
Grand Avenue
1.9 mi
3m
South 3rd Street
0.5 mi
<1m
North 5th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 118.6 mi, about 1h 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Augusta, AR and Fort Smith, AR.
1
Start on AR 33B
0.5 mi·54 sec·South 3rd Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 64B; AR 33B
0.1 mi·13 sec·Magnolia
3
Continue on US 64B; AR 33B
0.3 mi·32 sec·North 5th Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 64
3.0 mi·4 min·Shell Street
5
Continue on US 64
9.5 mi·14 min·United States Highway 64
6
Take the exit onto US 64
27 mi·27 min·US 64
7
Take the exit onto US 64
0.4 mi·49 sec·US 64
Toward US 64 West, I 57 Business North: Beebe, Conway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 64
33 mi·41 min·US 64
Toward US 64 West: Conway
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
10
Merge onto I 40; US 65
119 mi·1 hr 58 min·I 40; US 65
11
Take the exit onto US 71
6.5 mi·7 min·US 71
Toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Exit 6Toward Grand Avenue
13
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
1.9 mi·3 min·Grand Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 3-hour 42-minute drive time, you can comfortably complete this trip in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to allow for flexibility and potential brief stops along the way. With a fuel cost estimated around $30, you should have sufficient coverage for this distance. Since the longest stretch is 118.6 miles on I 40, plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly before you hit that segment, as services might be more spaced out.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 100.6 miles from Augusta, AR, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 44 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.6 miles or 1h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Smith, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Augusta, AR so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Augusta, AR
This is one driving day of about 201.2 miles and 3h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Augusta, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 118.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 199 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|US 64 / Shell Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 64 / Shell Street
Navigation decision point
5
40.5 mi into trip|~48m in|US 64
Take the exit onto US 64 toward US 64 West, I 57 Business North: Beebe, Conway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 64 West, I 57 Business North: Beebe,...
5
40.9 mi into trip|~49m in|US 64
Keep slight right at fork onto US 64 toward US 64 West: Conway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 64 West: Conway
5
192.5 mi into trip|~3h 30m in|US 71
Take the exit onto US 71 toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
5
199 mi into trip|~3h 38m in
Take the exit toward Grand Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6
Toward Grand Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.32 one way
$62.64 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$34.53
$69.06
premium
$4.71
$37.32
$74.63
diesel
$6.18
$48.95
$97.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.4
0
$21.13
$9.66
Efficient EV
50.3
0
$17.61
$8.05
EV Truck/SUV
80.5
1
$28.17
$12.88
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Augusta, AR
Morning
in Augusta on Tuesday
Local time
7:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Smith, AR
Morning
in Fort Smith on Tuesday
Local time
7:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 42m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 97% of the 201.2 miles on interstates. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on I 40, covering 118.6 miles. After that, the route transitions to US 64 for the remaining portion, introducing more of a surface road feel. Expect frequent exits and entrances on the interstate sections.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.6 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 64. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near US 64 / Shell Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 42m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (US 64 / Shell Street): Navigation decision point; at 40.5 miles (US 64): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.9 miles (US 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
598 ft218 ft
Total Climb
503 ft
Total Descent
285 ft
Highest Point
598 ft
~157.8 mi in
Elevation Range
380 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Augusta, AR to Fort Smith, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Conway along the way.
Fort Smith is in northwest Arkansas and borders Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Sebastian County. The city has a population of 80,286 which makes it the third largest city in Arkansas behind Little Rock and Fayetteville. It is located in the River Valley of Arkansas between the Ouachita mountains in the south and the Boston and Ozark mountains of the north and a gateway city to the Ozarks.
Top landmarks
•Fort Smith National Cemetery — historic veterans cemetery in Sebastian County, Arkansas
•Maumelle Ordnance Works Locomotive 1
•West Garrison Avenue Historic District — historic district in Fort Smith, Arkansas
The longest stretch is about 118.6 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (US 64 / Shell Street): Navigation decision point; at 40.5 miles (US 64): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.9 miles (US 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Fort Smith, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
