If you are looking to travel between Forrest City and Jonesboro, you are in for a straightforward 75.4-mile journey across Arkansas. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 39 minutes on the road, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Since the drive is relatively short, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations or an intensive itinerary. Budgeting around $10 for fuel will comfortably cover your transit between these two Southeast locations. Because this route involves local roads rather than major interstates, it offers a more grounded, steady pace for your travels.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
31.1 miles from Forrest City, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
AR 1
37.8 mi
56m
North Washington Street
17.7 mi
25m
Harrisburg Road
4 mi
7m
South Main Street
1.4 mi
2m
US 64
0.7 mi
1m
West Broadway Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
East Highland Drive
0.1 mi
<1m
Cate Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
AR 1
— 37.8 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forrest City, AR and Jonesboro, AR.
1
Start on North Division
31 ft·6 sec·North Division
2
Turn left onto US 70
0.3 mi·31 sec·West Broadway Avenue
3
Turn left onto AR 1B
18 mi·25 min·North Washington Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 64; AR 1
0.7 mi·1 min·US 64; AR 1
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on AR 1
38 mi·56 min·AR 1
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn left onto AR 1B
4.0 mi·7 min·Harrisburg Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto AR 18
0.1 mi·11 sec·East Highland Drive
Use the left lane.
8
Turn slight right
502 ft·22 sec
9
Turn straight onto South Main Street
1.4 mi·2 min·South Main Street
10
Turn right onto Cate Avenue
207 ft·14 sec·Cate Avenue
11
Turn left
75 ft·5 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Because this is a compact 1 hour and 39 minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. You won't need to stress about formal rest stops, as the entire distance is easily manageable in one go. Keep in mind that since this is a local road route, travel times can vary based on local traffic patterns, so check your navigation before pulling out of the driveway. A helpful tip for this specific route is to familiarize yourself with the transition points between West Broadway Avenue, North Washington Street, and Harrisburg Road before you leave. This ensures you stay on track during the more technical, turn-heavy sections of your drive.
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 31.1 miles from Forrest City, AR, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.8 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 14 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 31.1 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jonesboro, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Forrest City, AR so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Forrest City, AR
This is one driving day of about 62.2 miles and 1h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Forrest City, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on AR 1 for about 37.8 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 0 and 60.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 70 / West Broadway Avenue
Turn left onto US 70 / West Broadway Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|AR 1B / North Washington Street
Turn left onto AR 1B / North Washington Street
Navigation decision point
6
18 mi into trip|~26m in|US 64; AR 1
At end of road, turn left onto US 64; AR 1
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
56.6 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|AR 1B / Harrisburg Road
Turn left onto AR 1B / Harrisburg Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
60.6 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|AR 18 / East Highland Drive
Turn left onto AR 18 / East Highland Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.39 one way
$18.79 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg22 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$10.31
$20.62
premium
$4.56
$11.16
$22.33
diesel
$5.61
$13.73
$27.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$34–$59
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
18.7
0
$6.53
$2.99
Efficient EV
15.6
0
$5.44
$2.49
EV Truck/SUV
24.9
0
$8.71
$3.98
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Forrest City, AR
Late night
in Forrest City on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jonesboro, AR
Late night
in Jonesboro on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
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
1h 34m 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 rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will navigate through West Broadway Avenue, North Washington Street, and Harrisburg Road, keeping your focus engaged as you transition between these local stretches. With 0% of the route on major highways, you will experience a constant, rhythmic change in scenery and road layout. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on West Broadway Avenue, meaning you should anticipate frequent turns throughout the entire 75.4-mile trek. It is a drive that rewards attentive steering as you move through the local road network.
62% 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: 37.8 mi on AR 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on AR 1 and North Washington Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 70 / West Broadway Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 34m 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: near the start (US 70 / West Broadway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (AR 1B / North Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 18 miles (US 64; AR 1): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 34m. Total distance: 62.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 37.8 miles on AR 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 70 / West Broadway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (AR 1B / North Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 18 miles (US 64; AR 1): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jonesboro, AR before heading back.
