Bentonville, AR to Glenwood, AR is 194 miles and takes about 3h 59m via US 71 and I 49, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Arkansas, traversing the Southeast region. With 87% of the route on highways, expect a fairly direct path between these two points. This trip is well-suited for a single day, allowing you ample time to reach your destination without feeling rushed.
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
97 miles from Bentonville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 71
67.2 mi
1h 21m
I 49
65.7 mi
1h 8m
US 270
32 mi
39m
East Main Street
13 mi
23m
Bridge Street
8.2 mi
14m
I 40
4.3 mi
4m
Southeast J Street
1 mi
2m
Southeast 14th Street
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 71
— 67.2 mi, about 1h 21m
Traffic on I-540
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,340 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~91 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 12 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bentonville, AR and Glenwood, 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
55 mi·1 hr 6 min·US 71
12
Turn left onto US 270
32 mi·39 min·US 270
13
Turn right onto AR 27
8.2 mi·14 min·Bridge Street
14
Continue on AR 27
0.3 mi·35 sec·North Main Street
15
Turn left onto AR 8
13 mi·23 min·East Main Street
16
Turn left onto US 70B
312 ft·11 sec·Broadway Street
17
Turn left onto North 2nd Street
91 ft·4 sec·North 2nd Street
18
Arrive at destination
North 2nd Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 59m duration, leaving Bentonville in the morning is ideal, allowing for a full afternoon in Glenwood. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $29, this is a straightforward, single-day trip. Plan to fuel up before you depart or at one of the many service areas along I 49 to ensure you have enough gas. Keep an eye on your mileage, as the longest stretch without a significant break is 67.2 miles on US 71.
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 97 miles from Bentonville, AR, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.2 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 43 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97 miles or 1h 48m 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 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Glenwood, 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 194 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Bentonville, 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 US 71 for about 67.2 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 13
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
$29.82 one way
$59.64 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg68 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$32.98
$65.96
premium
$4.65
$35.49
$70.99
diesel
$5.35
$40.86
$81.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 67.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
58.2
0
$20.37
$9.31
Efficient EV
48.5
0
$16.98
$7.76
EV Truck/SUV
77.6
0
$27.16
$12.42
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 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 May 20, 2026
Origin
Bentonville, AR
Afternoon
in Bentonville on Wednesday
Local time
4:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
E 5 to 10 mph24% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Glenwood, AR
Afternoon
in Glenwood on Wednesday
Local time
4:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
0 mph11% chanceLive forecast
73°F
Charleston, AR
97 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
3 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 59m 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 drive is predominantly highway, with 87% of the 194 miles on major roadways like US 71 and I 49. You'll experience a longest stretch of 67.2 miles on US 71 before transitioning to surface roads closer to Glenwood. Expect a fairly continuous highway experience for the majority of your trip.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 67.2 mi on US 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 71 and I 49. 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 3h 59m drive. You will face about 13 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
1,579 ft433 ft
Total Climb
1,270 ft
Total Descent
2,004 ft
Highest Point
1,579 ft
~41.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,146 ft
Notable High Points
1,229 ft at ~152.5 miles+541 ft prominence
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 Glenwood, 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".
Top landmarks
•Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art — art museum in Bentonville, Arkansas
•Bentonville Confederate Monument — monument in Bentonville, United States of America
•Benton County Courthouse — courthouse in Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas
The longest stretch is about 67.2 miles on US 71. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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: 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.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Glenwood, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
