If you are looking to traverse Arkansas from Des Arc to Fort Smith, expect a 189.1-mile journey that typically takes about 3 hours and 10 minutes. This route is best suited as a comfortable single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can anticipate a fuel budget of approximately $29 for the drive. Since the entire trip takes place within the Southeast region of Arkansas, you will remain in familiar territory throughout your travels. It serves as a straightforward option for those prioritizing local roads over major interstates, providing a practical alternative for your transit across the state.
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
94.8 miles from Des Arc, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
118.6 mi
1h 58m
US 64
32.5 mi
41m
AR 38
14.1 mi
20m
US 71
6.5 mi
7m
State Highway 13
5.8 mi
10m
Cypress Lake Road
4.3 mi
7m
West Center Street
2.4 mi
4m
Grand Avenue
1.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 118.6 mi, about 1h 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Arc, AR and Fort Smith, AR.
1
Start on North 3rd
36 ft·3 sec·North 3rd
2
Turn right onto AR 323
0.1 mi·21 sec·Main Street
3
Turn right onto North 5th Street
0.3 mi·48 sec·North 5th Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto AR 38
3.8 mi·5 min·AR 38
5
Turn right onto AR 38
10 mi·15 min·AR 38
6
Turn right onto AR 13
5.8 mi·10 min·State Highway 13
7
Continue on AR 13
4.3 mi·7 min·Cypress Lake Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto AR 31
1.6 mi·2 min·State Highway 31
9
Continue on AR 31
0.2 mi·17 sec·South Main Street
10
Continue on AR 31
0.6 mi·1 min·South Main Street
11
Turn left onto I 57 Business
2.4 mi·4 min·West Center Street
12
Continue on US 64
32 mi·41 min·US 64
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
14
Merge onto I 40; US 65
119 mi·1 hr 58 min·I 40; US 65
15
Take the exit onto US 71
6.5 mi·7 min·US 71
Toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Exit 6Toward Grand Avenue
17
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
1.9 mi·3 min·Grand Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively quick 3-hour and 10-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time. Plan for at least one stop to break up the drive, as the turn-heavy nature of the roads requires more focus than a standard highway route. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you head out, ensuring you have your $29 budget allocated for the trip. A helpful tip for this specific route is to stay vigilant with your navigation through the turns on Highway 13, as local roads can change rhythm quickly compared to major thoroughfares. Staying alert and pacing yourself will make the 189.1-mile journey much more manageable.
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 94.8 miles from Des Arc, AR, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.6 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 42 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.8 miles or 2h 3m 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 Fort Smith, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Des Arc, 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 Des Arc, AR
This is one driving day of about 189.5 miles and 3h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Des Arc, 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 118.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Home stretch
4.1 mi from route
~10 min detour
$10 to $20
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Hours: 6 am–3 pm
+14796464309
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 187.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|AR 323 / Main Street
Turn right onto AR 323 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North 5th Street
Turn right onto North 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|AR 38
At end of road, turn left onto AR 38
Navigation decision point
5
180.8 mi into trip|~3h 30m 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
5
187.4 mi into trip|~3h 37m in
Take the exit toward Grand Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6
Toward Grand Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.62 one way
$57.24 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$31.42
$62.83
premium
$4.56
$34.01
$68.03
diesel
$5.61
$41.84
$83.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.9
0
$19.90
$9.10
Efficient EV
47.4
0
$16.58
$7.58
EV Truck/SUV
75.8
0
$26.53
$12.13
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 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 20, 2026
Origin
Des Arc, AR
Late night
in Des Arc on Tuesday
Local time
5:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Smith, AR
Late night
in Fort Smith on Tuesday
Local time
5:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 42m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this path relies on Main Street, North 5th Street, and Highway 13 to navigate you toward your destination. Because the highway share is 0%, you should be ready for a more traditional driving experience that prioritizes local connections over high-speed travel. The road demands your full attention as you transition through various local segments, making it feel less like a highway commute and more like a deliberate, hands-on navigation through the Arkansas landscape.
94% 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: 118.6 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 64. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near AR 323 / Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 42m drive. You will face about 12 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 (AR 323 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (AR 38): Navigation decision point.
Fort Smith is in northwest Arkansas and borders Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Sebastian County. The city has a population of 80,286 which makes it the third largest city in Arkansas behind Little Rock and Fayetteville. It is located in the River Valley of Arkansas between the Ouachita mountains in the south and the Boston and Ozark mountains of the north and a gateway city to the Ozarks.
The longest stretch is about 118.6 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: near the start (AR 323 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (AR 38): Navigation decision point.
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 Fort Smith, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
