Spanning 118 miles, this trek from Bentonville to Booneville takes approximately 2 hours and 23 minutes. Because the route relies on local roads like East Central Avenue, Southeast J Street, and Southeast 14th Street rather than major interstates, it is best suited as a dedicated day trip. You should budget about $18 for fuel to complete the journey. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region of Arkansas, you will remain in a familiar geographic environment throughout the drive. It is a straightforward trip that fits easily into a single day, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59 miles from Bentonville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 49
65.7 mi
1h 8m
West Center Street
23.7 mi
35m
US 71
21.1 mi
28m
I 40
4.3 mi
4m
Southeast J Street
1 mi
2m
Southeast 14th Street
1 mi
1m
East Central Avenue
0.7 mi
2m
US 62
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 49
— 65.7 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bentonville, AR and Booneville, AR.
1
Start on North Main Street
185 ft·13 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto East Central Avenue
0.7 mi·2 min·East Central Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto Southeast J Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Southeast J Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto AR 102
1.0 mi·1 min·Southeast 14th Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp onto US 62; AR 12
0.2 mi·14 sec·US 62; AR 12
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on I 49; US 62; US 71; AR 12
66 mi·1 hr 8 min·I 49; US 62; US 71; AR 12
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·24 sec
Toward I 40 West: Van Buren, Fort Smith
8
Merge onto I 40; US 71
4.3 mi·4 min·I 40; US 71
9
Take the exit onto US 71
12 mi·14 min·US 71
Toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
10
Take the exit onto US 71
0.3 mi·44 sec·US 71
Toward US 71 South: Texarkana
11
Turn left onto US 71
8.4 mi·12 min·US 71
12
Turn left onto AR 10S
24 mi·35 min·West Center Street
13
Arrive at destination
AR 10
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. Because there are no designated stops included in the route data, ensure you have your fuel needs met before heading out, given the $18 estimated cost. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of the route means your travel time can be sensitive to local traffic conditions, so plan for the full 2 hours and 23 minutes of drive time. Stay alert for frequent turns as you navigate the local street grid. Embracing the pace of these local roads is the best way to ensure a smooth transition from Bentonville to Booneville.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 59 miles from Bentonville, AR, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.7 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 26 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59 miles or 1h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Booneville, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bentonville, 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 Bentonville, AR
This is one driving day of about 118 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Bentonville, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 49 for about 65.7 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 73.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Central Avenue
Turn left onto East Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|Southeast J Street
Turn right onto Southeast J Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in|AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street
Turn left onto AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
68.7 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 West: Van Buren, Fort Smith
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 West: Van Buren, Fort Smith
5
73.3 mi into trip|~1h 19m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.82 one way
$35.64 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$19.56
$39.13
premium
$4.56
$21.18
$42.36
diesel
$5.61
$26.05
$52.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.4
0
$12.39
$5.66
Efficient EV
29.5
0
$10.33
$4.72
EV Truck/SUV
47.2
0
$16.52
$7.55
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Bentonville, AR
Late night
in Bentonville on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Booneville, AR
Late night
in Booneville on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Alma, AR
59 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
4 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
2h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy, local driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. With 0% highway share, you will avoid the monotony of interstate travel in favor of navigating local corridors. The route demands your full attention as you transition between various town streets and local thoroughfares. While you won't encounter long, uninterrupted stretches of highway, the constant changes in direction define the personality of this drive. You will find that the road requires a more hands-on approach than a typical high-speed transit route.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 65.7 mi on I 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and West Center Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Central Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 23m 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: near the start (East Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Southeast J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,625 ft413 ft
Total Climb
581 ft
Total Descent
1,375 ft
Highest Point
1,625 ft
~42.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,212 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 Bentonville, AR to Booneville, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Smith along the way.
Bentonville is a city of 51,000 people (2018) in the Northwest region of Arkansas. Widely known as the home to the corporate headquarters of retail giant Walmart, the city was noted by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the "Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012".
The longest stretch is about 65.7 miles on I 49. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (East Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Southeast J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Booneville, AR before heading back.
