Origin
Fort Smith, AR
Late night in Fort Smith on Sunday
Local time
2:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Smith, AR to Charleston, AR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24.1 mi
39 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charleston, AR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Fort Smith to Charleston, Arkansas, you are in for a quick, manageable journey covering just 24.1 miles. You can expect to spend about 36 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. The route stays entirely within the Southeast region of the state, ensuring a consistent local atmosphere throughout your travels. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is an incredibly cost-effective excursion for your weekend plans. Since there are no required stops, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Central Avenue | 13.2 mi | 19m |
| Fort Street | 4 mi | 6m |
| Rogers Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Grand Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| I 540 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| South Hancock Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Central Avenue
— 13.2 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Smith, AR and Charleston, AR.
1
Start on Grand Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Grand Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
3
Merge onto I 540; US 71
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 540; US 71
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Rogers Avenue East
5
Turn straight onto AR 22
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Rogers Avenue
6
Continue on AR 22
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Fort Street
7
Continue on AR 22
13 mi
·
19 min
·
West Central Avenue
8
Turn right onto South Hancock Street
6 ft
·
0 sec
·
South Hancock Street
9
Arrive at destination
South Hancock Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 24.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 540; US 71
Merge onto I 540; US 71
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
3.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward Rogers Avenue East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Rogers Avenue East
4
24.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
South Hancock Street
Turn right onto South Hancock Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.64 one way
$7.28 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.32 | $10.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.37 | $1.54 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Destination
Charleston, AR
Late night in Charleston on Sunday
Local time
2:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
36m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you navigate your way out of Fort Smith and toward Charleston. You will primarily follow Rogers Avenue and Fort Street, as this route contains zero highway miles, keeping you on local roads for the entire 24.1-mile duration. Because the trip is composed entirely of surface streets, you will experience a more hands-on driving environment compared to a standard interstate cruise. The lack of a long, uninterrupted highway stretch means you should stay alert for frequent turns and changing road conditions. It is a straightforward, short-distance transit that avoids high-speed traffic entirely.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.2 mi on West Central Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near I 540; US 71.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Fort Smith, AR to Charleston, AR is easy. At 36m with 6% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (I 540; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 24.1 miles (South Hancock Street): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Fort Smith, AR to Charleston, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Rogers Avenue East along the way.
Rogers Avenue East
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Starting in Fort Smith, AR
Full guide →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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 24.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.2 miles on West Central Avenue. 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: at 2.2 miles (I 540; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 24.1 miles (South Hancock Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Charleston, AR before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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