Spanning 197.9 miles across Arkansas, this trip from Delaware to Hughes is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 3 hours and 43 minutes. Because the drive is manageable within a single day, you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. You should budget approximately $30 for fuel to complete the trek. The route keeps you within the Southeast region for the duration of your travel. It is a practical, highway-focused drive that prioritizes efficiency over meandering detours, making it a reliable choice for travelers looking to get from point A to point B without unnecessary complexity.
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
98.9 miles from Delaware, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
162.3 mi
2h 45m
AR 38
11.8 mi
20m
AR 22
9.2 mi
13m
East Main Street
6.4 mi
11m
Union Street
4.9 mi
5m
Jefferson Street
2.1 mi
3m
AR 331
0.3 mi
<1m
Church Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 162.3 mi, about 2h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Delaware, AR and Hughes, AR.
1
Start on Fire Dept Loop
515 ft·27 sec·Fire Dept Loop
2
Turn left onto AR 22
9.2 mi·13 min·AR 22
3
Turn left onto AR 7
4.9 mi·5 min·Union Street
4
Turn right onto US 64
2.3 mi·3 min·East Main Street
5
Turn left onto AR 331
0.3 mi·28 sec·AR 331
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 84Toward I-40
7
Merge onto I 40
70 mi·1 hr 11 min·I 40
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
92 mi·1 hr 33 min·I 40
Toward MemphisUse the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward AR 38 East: Widener, Hughes
10
Keep slight right at fork
184 ft·4 sec
11
Turn straight onto AR 38
2.1 mi·3 min·Jefferson Street
12
Turn left onto AR 50
4.2 mi·7 min·East Main Street
13
Turn right onto AR 38
12 mi·20 min·AR 38
14
Turn left onto Church Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·Church Street
15
Turn right onto Jeff Davis Street
48 ft·2 sec·Jeff Davis Street
16
Arrive at destination
Jeff Davis Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. With only one recommended stop planned, you can easily pace yourself to avoid fatigue during the nearly four-hour drive. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before merging onto the long 162.3-mile I-40 segment to ensure you aren't caught searching for a station in the middle of a high-speed stretch. Because the route relies heavily on major interstates, check local traffic reports for the I-40 corridor before you head out. Utilizing that single stop strategically will help you maintain comfort throughout the 197.9-mile journey.
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 98.9 miles from Delaware, AR, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 162.3 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 44 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.9 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 2h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hughes, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Delaware, 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 Delaware, AR
This is one driving day of about 197.9 miles and 3h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Delaware, 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 162.3 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 16.5 and 179.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
16.5 mi into trip|~23m in|AR 331
Turn left onto AR 331
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
16.7 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the ramp toward I-40
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Exit 84
Toward I-40
7
87.3 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward Memphis
5
179.3 mi into trip|~3h 9m in
Take the exit toward AR 38 East: Widener, Hughes
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AR 38 East: Widener, Hughes
5
179.6 mi into trip|~3h 10m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.89 one way
$59.78 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$32.81
$65.62
premium
$4.56
$35.52
$71.04
diesel
$5.61
$43.69
$87.39
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: 69.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.4
0
$20.78
$9.50
Efficient EV
49.5
0
$17.32
$7.92
EV Truck/SUV
79.2
0
$27.71
$12.67
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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 14, 2026
Origin
Delaware, AR
Night
in Delaware on Saturday
Local time
11:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 10 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Hughes, AR
Night
in Hughes on Saturday
Local time
11:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
SSW 15 mph4% 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
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 43m 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?
Expect a high-speed experience, as 93% of this trip is spent on highways. The vast majority of your time—specifically 162.3 miles—is dedicated to a long, uninterrupted stretch on I-40. Your navigation will primarily involve I-40, supplemented by stretches on AR-38 and AR-22. While the highway segments provide a consistent, fast-paced rhythm, transitioning to the local state roads offers a slight change of pace from the interstate grind. You will find that the road's personality is defined by these heavy-duty highway miles, requiring steady focus as you navigate the primary transit corridors of the state.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 162.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and AR 38. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 16.5 miles in near AR 331.
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 43m 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: at 16.5 miles (AR 331): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 87.3 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
400 ft187 ft
Total Climb
109 ft
Total Descent
265 ft
Highest Point
400 ft
~56.5 mi in
Elevation Range
213 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 Delaware, AR to Hughes, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.
Delaware has beautiful beaches and parks. The more popular beaches are in: Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach. Most parks in Delaware's very extensive and well maintained park system are free or low-cost. The First State National Historical Park a group of historical sites that cover the early colonial history of Delaware and the role Delaware played in the establishment of the United States, leading up to it being the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
It is one of the smallest states in the United States. It has beautiful beaches, and activities vary from business-friendly Wilmington to the rural southern parts of the state.
The longest stretch is about 162.3 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 16.5 miles (AR 331): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 87.3 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Hughes, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
