Bentonville to Pottsville is 146 miles and takes about 2 hours 33 minutes via I-49 and I-40, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays entirely within Arkansas, connecting two points in the Southeast region. It's a straightforward trip on major highways for the most part, making it a practical choice for a quick transfer or a day trip. You'll find this route generally efficient, designed for steady progress rather than scenic detours.
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
73 miles from Bentonville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
75.3 mi
1h 15m
I 49
65.7 mi
1h 8m
Southeast J Street
1 mi
2m
Southeast 14th Street
1 mi
1m
US 64
0.8 mi
1m
East Central Avenue
0.7 mi
2m
US 62
0.2 mi
<1m
AR 331
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 75.3 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bentonville, AR and Pottsville, 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
75 mi·1 hr 15 min·I 40; US 71
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
10
Turn right onto AR 363
224 ft·10 sec·AR 363
11
Turn right onto US 64
0.8 mi·1 min·US 64
12
Turn left onto AR 331
0.2 mi·29 sec·AR 331
13
Continue on River Road
0.2 mi·25 sec·River Road
14
Arrive at destination
River Road
Trip Plan
Given this 1-day trip is under 3 hours, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Bentonville in the morning will get you to Pottsville well before the afternoon. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $22, this route is budget-friendly and requires minimal planning. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before the longest stretch of 75.3 miles on I-40, as services can be spaced out on interstates.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 73 miles from Bentonville, AR, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.3 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 32 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pottsville, 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 146 miles and 2h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 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 75.3 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 68.7 — 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.
4
2.7 mi into trip|~6m in|US 62; AR 12
Take the ramp onto US 62; AR 12
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.44 one way
$44.88 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$24.82
$49.64
premium
$4.65
$26.71
$53.42
diesel
$5.35
$30.75
$61.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.8
0
$15.33
$7.01
Efficient EV
36.5
0
$12.78
$5.84
EV Truck/SUV
58.4
0
$20.44
$9.34
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (67% 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 27, 2026
Origin
Bentonville, AR
Afternoon
in Bentonville on Wednesday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 5 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Pottsville, AR
Afternoon
in Pottsville on Wednesday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
0 mph15% 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 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 33m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 97% of the route on major roads. You'll cover a significant 75.3 miles on I-40 without exiting. The final portion of your drive will transition from interstate cruising to surface roads like Southeast J Street as you approach Pottsville. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and numerous exits along the interstate segments.
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: 75.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 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 2h 33m 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: 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
1,587 ft359 ft
Total Climb
545 ft
Total Descent
1,463 ft
Highest Point
1,587 ft
~41.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,228 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 Pottsville, 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
The longest stretch is about 75.3 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 13 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pottsville, AR before heading back.
