Bella Vista, AR to Sherwood, AR is 223.4 miles and takes about 3h 57m via I 40 and US 71, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, moving from the Northwest region to the Southeast. The majority of your travel will be on major highways, making for a straightforward transit. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's a manageable one-day drive.
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
111.7 miles from Bella Vista, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
140 mi
2h 20m
US 71
71.9 mi
1h 15m
Bella Vista Way
4.3 mi
6m
John F Kennedy Boulevard
3.6 mi
6m
Cooper Road
1.1 mi
2m
West Lancashire Boulevard
0.4 mi
<1m
Sherwood Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
On Ramp Bella Vista Way
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 140 mi, about 2h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bella Vista, AR and Sherwood, AR.
1
Start on Hartsfield Lane
305 ft·14 sec·Hartsfield Lane
2
Turn right onto Billingsley Drive
205 ft·12 sec·Billingsley Drive
3
Turn right onto Cooper Road
1.1 mi·2 min·Cooper Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto AR 340
0.4 mi·52 sec·West Lancashire Boulevard
5
Turn right onto On Ramp Bella Vista Way
0.2 mi·19 sec·On Ramp Bella Vista Way
6
Turn straight onto US 71
4.3 mi·6 min·Bella Vista Way
7
Take the ramp onto US 71
72 mi·1 hr 15 min·US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
9
Merge onto I 40; US 71
140 mi·2 hr 20 min·I 40; US 71
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on I- 40 Access Road
368 ft·7 sec·I- 40 Access Road
12
At end of road, turn left onto AR 107
0.4 mi·49 sec·John F Kennedy Boulevard
13
Continue on AR 107
3.2 mi·5 min·John F Kennedy Boulevard
14
Turn right onto North Hills Boulevard
480 ft·17 sec·North Hills Boulevard
15
Turn left onto Country Club Road
0.2 mi·36 sec·Country Club Road
16
Turn right onto Sherwood Avenue
0.3 mi·47 sec·Sherwood Avenue
17
Turn left onto Wildwood Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·Wildwood Avenue
18
Turn left onto South Fairway Avenue
181 ft·7 sec·South Fairway Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
South Fairway Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 3h 57m drive, consider departing in the morning to allow ample time for any unexpected delays. With only one recommended stop, you can choose a convenient point along the 140-mile I 40 segment. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you get closer to Sherwood, and utilize the numerous service areas available on the interstate. This is a drive where you have the flexibility to depart and arrive at your convenience.
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 111.7 miles from Bella Vista, AR, or about 2h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140 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 49 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.7 miles or 2h 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 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sherwood, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bella Vista, 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 Bella Vista, AR
This is one driving day of about 223.4 miles and 3h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Bella Vista, 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 140 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 223.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Billingsley Drive
Turn right onto Billingsley Drive
Navigation decision point
6
78.1 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
5
218.7 mi into trip|~3h 48m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
222.8 mi into trip|~3h 56m in|Sherwood Avenue
Turn right onto Sherwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
223.3 mi into trip|~3h 57m in|South Fairway Avenue
Turn left onto South Fairway Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.78 one way
$69.55 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg78 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$38.34
$76.68
premium
$4.71
$41.43
$82.87
diesel
$6.18
$54.35
$108.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
67
0
$23.46
$10.72
Efficient EV
55.9
0
$19.55
$8.94
EV Truck/SUV
89.4
1
$31.28
$14.30
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Bella Vista, AR
Morning
in Bella Vista on Monday
Local time
6:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Sunny
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Sherwood, AR
Morning
in Sherwood on Monday
Local time
6:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
ENE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
55°F
Delaware, AR
112 mi in
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
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
3h 57m 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?
Expect to spend 95% of your time on highways, covering a significant 140-mile stretch on I 40. This means you'll encounter a high density of exits for much of the route. The transition to surface roads will likely occur closer to your destination in Sherwood. The highway profile suggests a generally smooth driving experience with fewer complex intersections until you approach urban areas.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 140 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 71. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Billingsley Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 57m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Billingsley Drive): Navigation decision point; at 78.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 218.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,617 ft319 ft
Total Climb
719 ft
Total Descent
1,599 ft
Highest Point
1,617 ft
~48.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,298 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 Bella Vista, AR to Sherwood, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
The longest stretch is about 140 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 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 0.1 miles (Billingsley Drive): Navigation decision point; at 78.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 218.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Sherwood, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
