Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Fort Smith, AR to Greenland, AR

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

57m

Distance

52.5 mi

85 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 53m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Fort Smith, AR, AR

Fort Smith, AR

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Greenland, AR, AR

Greenland, AR

Биљана

Trip Overview

The drive from Fort Smith, AR to Greenland, AR covers 52.5 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 49, I 540, US 71 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.7 miles on I 49. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.69 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 49 37.7 mi 37m
I 540 5.7 mi 6m
US 71 4.6 mi 4m
Grand Avenue 2 mi 3m
West Wilson Street 1.2 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 49 — 37.7 mi, about 37m

Traffic on I-540

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~1,340 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~91 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

14.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 12 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Smith, AR and Greenland, AR.

1

Start on Grand Avenue

2.0 mi · 3 min · Grand Avenue
2

Turn left

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 540 North, US 71 North
3

Merge onto I 540; US 71

5.7 mi · 6 min · I 540; US 71
4

Keep slight right at fork onto US 71

4.6 mi · 4 min · US 71
Toward I 40 East: Little Rock, Memphis Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 49 North: Fayetteville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 49

38 mi · 37 min · I 49
Use the slight right lane.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Toward Greenland Use the slight right lane.
8

Turn right onto West Wilson Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · West Wilson Street
9

Arrive at destination

West Wilson Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Mountainburg, AR, AR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mountainburg, AR

26 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Meadows, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chester, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Fort Smith, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 51.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Turn left toward I 540 North, US 71 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 540 North, US 71 North
3
2.3 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 540; US 71

Merge onto I 540; US 71

Merge point - match speed before joining

8
8 mi into trip | ~11m in | US 71

Keep slight right at fork onto US 71 toward I 40 East: Little Rock, Memphis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 40 East: Little Rock, Memphis
6
12.6 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward I 49 North: Fayetteville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
6
51.1 mi into trip | ~55m in

Take the exit toward Greenland

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Greenland

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.69 one way

$15.38 round trip

$3.72/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.13 $8.54 $17.08
premium $4.49 $9.27 $18.54
diesel $5.60 $11.57 $23.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.8 0 $5.51 $2.52
Efficient EV 13.1 0 $4.59 $2.10
EV Truck/SUV 21 0 $7.35 $3.36

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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 Sep 2, 2026

Origin

Fort Smith, AR

Afternoon in Fort Smith on Wednesday

Local time

12:43 PM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Clear

E 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:41PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:41PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR

Destination

Greenland, AR

Afternoon in Greenland on Wednesday

Local time

12:43 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Clear

S 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:41PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:41PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR

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

2 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

57m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

52.5 mi in 57m, mostly highway — 37.7 mi of that is on I 49.

91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.7 mi on I 49.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and I 540. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 57m drive. You will face about 6 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 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 540; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 8 miles (US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,596 ft 415 ft

Total Climb

1,599 ft

Total Descent

784 ft

Highest Point

1,596 ft

~33.8 mi in

Elevation Range

1,181 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 Fort Smith, AR to Greenland, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.

Memphis

8 mi in | ~11m | via US 71

About the Cities

Starting in Fort Smith, AR

Full guide →

Founded 1817

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.

Top landmarks

  • • Fort Smith National Cemetery — historic veterans cemetery in Sebastian County, Arkansas
  • • Maumelle Ordnance Works Locomotive 1
  • • West Garrison Avenue Historic District — historic district in Fort Smith, Arkansas

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 57m. Total distance: 52.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 37.7 miles on I 49. 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 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 540; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 8 miles (US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Greenland, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More from Fort Smith, AR

Gosnell, AR 310.4 mi · 5h 50m Leachville, AR 288 mi · 5h 21m Trumann, AR 272.9 mi · 4h 56m Bay, AR 265.9 mi · 4h 48m Brookland, AR 265.8 mi · 4h 51m McGehee, AR 261.4 mi · 4h 42m

More trips to Greenland, AR

Jonesboro, AR 283.3 mi Pine Bluff, AR 225.5 mi Hot Springs, AR 181.8 mi
Escape planner: Fort Smith, AR Scenic drives in AR

Explore more options from Fort Smith, AR or browse trips ending in Greenland, AR.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AR road trips.