Hot Springs, AR to Hampton, AR is 101 miles and takes about 2 hours 2 minutes via US 270 and US 167, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, traversing Arkansas for its entirety. The drive offers a mixed experience, suggesting you'll encounter both faster highway sections and potentially more local road segments. Given its manageable distance and duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day adventure, allowing for a relaxed pace. It's a straightforward journey connecting two points within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.5 miles from Hot Springs, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South Rock Street
29.4 mi
34m
US 270
26.1 mi
30m
US 167
18.1 mi
22m
Malvern Road
12.4 mi
14m
Sheridan Bypass
5.2 mi
6m
Malvern Avenue
5.2 mi
7m
US 79
4.1 mi
6m
West Grand Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
South Rock Street
— 29.4 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hot Springs, AR and Hampton, AR.
1
Start on US 70B; US 270B
82 ft·8 sec·West Grand Avenue
2
Continue on US 70B; US 270B
0.5 mi·55 sec·West Grand Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 270B
5.2 mi·7 min·Malvern Avenue
4
Continue on US 270
12 mi·14 min·Malvern Road
5
Take the exit onto US 270
1.5 mi·1 min·US 270
6
Take the exit onto US 270
0.4 mi·40 sec·US 270
Toward US 270 East: Malvern
7
Turn right onto US 270
24 mi·27 min·US 270
8
Turn right onto US 167
5.2 mi·6 min·Sheridan Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 167
29 mi·34 min·South Rock Street
10
Turn right onto US 79; US 167
4.1 mi·6 min·US 79; US 167
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167
18 mi·22 min·US 167
Toward US 167: El Dorado
12
Turn right onto US 278
31 ft·0 sec·US 278
13
Arrive at destination
US 278
Trip Plan
With a drive time of just over 2 hours, this route is ideal for a spontaneous departure. You could easily leave in the morning and arrive well before midday, or even depart in the afternoon and still have plenty of daylight. Because it's a shorter trip, you have the flexibility to stop if something catches your eye, though no specific stops are built into this route. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before embarking on the 29.4-mile stretch on South Rock Street, as rest areas might be less frequent on certain segments of this mixed drive. The fuel cost is estimated at $15, so plan accordingly.
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 50.5 miles from Hot Springs, AR, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.4 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 22 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.5 miles or 1h 1m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hampton, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hot Springs, 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 Hot Springs, AR
This is one driving day of about 101 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Hot Springs, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on South Rock Street for about 29.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
2.7 mi from route
~7 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 43.3
Sheridan, Arkansas
Hours: 6 am–2 pm
+18709421345
El buen sazón 2
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
2.7 mi from route
~7 min detour
$20 to $30
mile 43.3
Sheridan, Arkansas
Hours: 10 am–9 pm
+18708834848
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 82.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|US 270B / Malvern Avenue
Turn right onto US 270B / Malvern Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
18 mi into trip|~23m in|US 270
Take the exit onto US 270
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
19.5 mi into trip|~24m in|US 270
Take the exit onto US 270 toward US 270 East: Malvern
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 270 East: Malvern
4
44.2 mi into trip|~53m in|US 167 / Sheridan Bypass
Turn right onto US 167 / Sheridan Bypass
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
82.9 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167 toward US 167: El Dorado
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 167: El Dorado
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.25 one way
$30.51 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$16.74
$33.49
premium
$4.56
$18.13
$36.26
diesel
$5.61
$22.30
$44.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.3
0
$10.60
$4.85
Efficient EV
25.3
0
$8.84
$4.04
EV Truck/SUV
40.4
0
$14.14
$6.46
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Hot Springs, AR
Late night
in Hot Springs on Sunday
Local time
2:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hampton, AR
Late night
in Hampton on Sunday
Local time
2:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Haskell, AR
51 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
2 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
2h 2m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Hot Springs National Park
National Park
Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of our historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of y...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a mixed profile, with about 48% of the journey on highways. You'll experience stretches of both faster-paced travel and more local road driving. The longest continuous segment you'll navigate is 29.4 miles, which occurs on South Rock Street. As you progress, expect the character of the road to shift, transitioning between more open highway conditions and potentially more involved driving through populated areas or along less direct routes. The overall feel is one of varied driving experiences rather than a consistent highway cruise.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.4 mi on South Rock Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 270B / Malvern 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 2h 2m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 270B / Malvern Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18 miles (US 270): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 19.5 miles (US 270): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 101 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.4 miles on South Rock Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.5 miles (US 270B / Malvern Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18 miles (US 270): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 19.5 miles (US 270): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Hot Springs National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hampton, AR before heading back.
