Bentonville to Jacksonville is 221.5 miles and takes about 3h 52m via I-49 and I-40, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, moving from the northwest region to the central part of the state. Expect a straightforward drive with minimal complexity, making it an easy option for a single-day excursion. The route is predominantly highway, so you'll spend most of your time cruising at higher speeds.
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
110.8 miles from Bentonville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
142 mi
2h 23m
I 49
65.7 mi
1h 8m
I 57
8.4 mi
9m
Southeast J Street
1 mi
2m
Southeast 14th Street
1 mi
1m
East Central Avenue
0.7 mi
2m
South Redmond Road
0.6 mi
1m
South 1st Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 142 mi, about 2h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bentonville, AR and Jacksonville, 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 left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
8
Merge onto I 40; US 71
142 mi·2 hr 23 min·I 40; US 71
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57; US 167
8.4 mi·9 min·I 57; US 167
Toward Saint LouisUse the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward Redmond Road
11
Turn right onto South Redmond Road
0.6 mi·1 min·South Redmond Road
12
Turn left onto South James Street
0.4 mi·1 min·South James Street
13
Turn right onto Stone Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·Stone Street
14
Turn slight left onto AR 161
0.5 mi·1 min·South 1st Street
15
Arrive at destination
AR 161
Trip Plan
Consider starting your drive from Bentonville in the morning to take advantage of the full day. Since this trip is only about 3 hours and 52 minutes, you can easily complete it in one day. The longest stretch without an exit is substantial at 142 miles on I-40, so make sure you're fueled up before heading into that segment. Your estimated fuel cost is around $35, which is a reasonable budget for this distance. There's one suggested stop, so plan your break accordingly.
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 110.8 miles from Bentonville, AR, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 142 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 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.8 miles or 1h 57m 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 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jacksonville, 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 221.5 miles and 3h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 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 I 40 for about 142 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 and 211.3 — 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 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
7
211.3 mi into trip|~3h 39m in|I 57; US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57; US 167 toward Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Saint Louis
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.75 one way
$61.50 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg78 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$34.40
$68.80
premium
$4.29
$37.40
$74.80
diesel
$4.80
$41.82
$83.65
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: 77.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.5
0
$23.26
$10.63
Efficient EV
55.4
0
$19.38
$8.86
EV Truck/SUV
88.6
1
$31.01
$14.18
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Bentonville, AR
Late night
in Bentonville on Sunday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 10 mph23% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:38PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:38PM CDT until July 19 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Destination
Jacksonville, AR
Late night
in Jacksonville on Sunday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Sunny
WSW 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:38PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:38PM CDT until July 19 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
73°F
Delaware, AR
111 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
3h 52m 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 almost entirely highway, with 98% of the route on interstates. You'll experience a long stretch of 142 miles on I-40 without needing to exit. Given the high highway percentage, anticipate a consistent driving pace with relatively few breaks in traffic flow. The density of exits will likely be higher as you approach Jacksonville.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 142 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 49. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Central Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 221.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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
1,645 ft263 ft
Total Climb
667 ft
Total Descent
1,676 ft
Highest Point
1,645 ft
~47.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,382 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 Jacksonville, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock 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
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 52m. Total distance: 221.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 142 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Jacksonville, AR before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Jacksonville, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
