If you are looking to travel from Carthage to Jackson, this 109.6-mile journey across Mississippi is a straightforward trek that fits perfectly into a single day. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 59 minutes behind the wheel as you navigate through the Southeast region. Budget approximately $17 for fuel to cover the distance, which is quite reasonable for a trip of this length. Since the route involves no scheduled stops, you can easily complete the drive in one go without needing to find overnight accommodations. It is an ideal choice for travelers who prefer a quick, direct trip between these two Mississippi cities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
60.2 miles from Carthage, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
53.2 mi
57m
US 84
53.2 mi
1h 1m
Seargent Prentiss Drive
6.4 mi
7m
South State Street
3.1 mi
4m
Carthage Point Road
2.3 mi
8m
Highland Boulevard
1 mi
2m
Lower Woodville Road
0.8 mi
2m
East Pearl Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 53.2 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carthage, MS and Jackson, MS.
1
Start on this road
45 ft·2 sec·this road
2
Turn straight onto Carthage Point Road
2.1 mi·8 min·Carthage Point Road
3
Keep slight left at fork onto Carthage Point Road
0.1 mi·29 sec·Carthage Point Road
4
Turn straight onto Lower Woodville Road
0.8 mi·2 min·Lower Woodville Road
5
Turn right onto Highland Boulevard
1.0 mi·2 min·Highland Boulevard
6
Turn left onto US 61
6.4 mi·7 min·Seargent Prentiss Drive
7
Take the exit onto US 84
53 mi·1 hr 1 min·US 84
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
9
Merge onto I 55
53 mi·57 min·I 55
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 51
3.1 mi·4 min·South State Street
Toward US 51 North
11
Turn left onto East Pearl Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·East Pearl Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Pearl Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever it suits your schedule. Because there are no mandatory stops built into the itinerary, consider fueling up your vehicle before you leave Carthage to avoid any mid-trip interruptions. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of these local roads can be tiring, so ensure you are well-rested before heading out. If you find the winding roads challenging, give yourself extra time to navigate the turns safely. A concrete tip for this specific route is to double-check your GPS settings before departure, as relying on local roads like Lower Woodville Road requires precise navigation compared to a simple highway path.
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 60.2 miles from Carthage, MS, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53.2 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 27 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.2 miles or 1h 18m 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jackson, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Carthage, MS 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 Carthage, MS
This is one driving day of about 120.5 miles and 2h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Carthage, MS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 53.2 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 117.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.2 mi into trip|~8m in|Carthage Point Road
Keep slight left at fork onto Carthage Point Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
3
3.1 mi into trip|~10m in|Highland Boulevard
Turn right onto Highland Boulevard
Navigation decision point
3
10.5 mi into trip|~21m in|US 84
Take the exit onto US 84
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
63.7 mi into trip|~1h 22m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
117.1 mi into trip|~2h 20m in|US 51 / South State Street
Keep slight left at fork onto US 51 / South State Street toward US 51 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 51 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.20 one way
$36.40 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$19.98
$39.95
premium
$4.56
$21.63
$43.26
diesel
$5.61
$26.60
$53.21
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: 42.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.2
0
$12.65
$5.78
Efficient EV
30.1
0
$10.54
$4.82
EV Truck/SUV
48.2
0
$16.87
$7.71
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Carthage, MS
Night
in Carthage on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jackson, MS
Night
in Jackson on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
55°F
Brookhaven, MS
60 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 25m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Natchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Discover the history of all the peoples of Natchez, Mississippi, from European settlement, African enslavement, the American cotton economy, to the Civil Rights struggle on the lower Mississippi River...
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Free
near mile 120.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive, as this route relies entirely on smaller roads rather than high-speed interstates. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, navigating instead via Carthage Point Road, Lower Woodville Road, and Highland Boulevard. Because this is a purely local experience, the pace is much slower and more technical than a standard interstate commute. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, so keep your focus sharp as you transition through the various turns. It is a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention from start to finish.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 53.2 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and US 84. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near Carthage Point Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 25m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (Carthage Point Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.1 miles (Highland Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (US 84): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 25m. Total distance: 120.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 53.2 miles on I 55. 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: at 2.2 miles (Carthage Point Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.1 miles (Highland Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (US 84): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Natchez National Historical Park and Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jackson, MS before heading back.
