This 169.3-mile drive from Glenwood, AR to Fayetteville, AR takes about 3 hours and 32 minutes, making it a feasible day trip. You'll spend about 90% of your time on highways, primarily using US 71 and I 49, with a brief stretch on US 270. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $26. Given its relatively short duration and highway focus, this route is best enjoyed as a single-day adventure, allowing you plenty of flexibility. Both your origin and destination are within the Southeast region of Arkansas.
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
84.6 miles from Glenwood, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 71
71 mi
1h 24m
I 49
40.3 mi
40m
US 270
32 mi
39m
North 1st Street
13 mi
22m
AR 27
8.5 mi
14m
South Razorback Road
1.4 mi
2m
West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 71
— 71 mi, about 1h 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glenwood, AR and Fayetteville, AR.
1
Start on North 2nd Street
91 ft·6 sec·North 2nd Street
2
Turn right onto US 70B
312 ft·10 sec·Broadway Street
3
Turn right onto AR 8
13 mi·22 min·North 1st Street
4
Turn right onto AR 27
8.5 mi·14 min·AR 27
5
Turn left onto US 270; AR 27
32 mi·39 min·US 270; AR 27
6
At end of road, turn right onto US 71
54 mi·1 hr 6 min·US 71
7
Take the exit onto US 71
12 mi·14 min·US 71
Toward 540 North
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71
4.6 mi·4 min·US 71
Toward I 40 East: Little Rock, MemphisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 49 North: FayettevilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 49
40 mi·40 min·I 49
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·43 sec
Toward AR 112, AR 265
12
Turn slight right onto AR 265
0.2 mi·23 sec·South Cato Springs Road
13
Continue on South Razorback Road
1.4 mi·2 min·South Razorback Road
14
Turn right onto AR 180
0.9 mi·2 min·West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto South School Avenue
0.1 mi·15 sec·South School Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn slight right onto South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
0.4 mi·52 sec·South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
17
Continue on South College Avenue
0.2 mi·26 sec·South College Avenue
18
Turn right onto East Center Street
147 ft·8 sec·East Center Street
19
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 3-hour and 32-minute drive, an early morning departure from Glenwood, AR will allow you to reach Fayetteville, AR with ample time to explore. With only one recommended stop, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 71-mile stretch on US 71, as services might be less frequent. Factor in the $26 fuel cost when budgeting for your trip. Since this is a relatively short drive, you have the advantage of flexibility in your timing.
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 84.6 miles from Glenwood, AR, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 71 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 37 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.6 miles or 1h 55m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fayetteville, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Glenwood, 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 Glenwood, AR
This is one driving day of about 169.3 miles and 3h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Glenwood, 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 US 71 for about 71 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 120 and 168.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
120 mi into trip|~2h 38m 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
124.6 mi into trip|~2h 42m 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
5
165.6 mi into trip|~3h 24m in
Take the exit toward AR 112, AR 265
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AR 112, AR 265
5
167.6 mi into trip|~3h 28m in|AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Turn right onto AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
168.5 mi into trip|~3h 30m in|South School Avenue
Turn left onto South School Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.57 one way
$51.14 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$28.07
$56.14
premium
$4.56
$30.39
$60.77
diesel
$5.61
$37.38
$74.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.8
0
$17.78
$8.13
Efficient EV
42.3
0
$14.81
$6.77
EV Truck/SUV
67.7
0
$23.70
$10.84
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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
Glenwood, AR
Late night
in Glenwood on Sunday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fayetteville, AR
Late night
in Fayetteville on Sunday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Booneville, AR
85 mi in
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 32m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 169.3-mile journey. With 90% of the route on highways, you'll experience efficient travel for the majority of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 71 miles along US 71, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. While primarily highway, be aware that the route transitions between US 71 and I 49, so pay attention to signage for a smooth progression.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 71 mi on US 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 71 and I 49. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 120 miles in near US 71.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 169.3 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 120 miles (US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 124.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 165.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Glenwood, AR to Fayetteville, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.
Memphis
120 mi in|~2h 38m|via US 71
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 32m. Total distance: 169.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 71 miles on US 71. 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 120 miles (US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 124.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 165.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Fayetteville, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
