Leachville, AR to North Little Rock, AR is 158.3 miles and takes about 3 hours via I 57 and US 78, with a fuel budget near $24 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, primarily in the Southeast region, connecting two points efficiently. You'll find this route offers a straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a practical choice for a quick transit. It’s a good option if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
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
79.1 miles from Leachville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
102.7 mi
1h 45m
Highway 18
29.4 mi
40m
US 78
12.5 mi
14m
Southwest Drive
7.4 mi
8m
South Main Street
3.3 mi
5m
I 40
1.2 mi
1m
North Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
John F Kennedy Boulevard
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 102.7 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leachville, AR and North Little Rock, AR.
1
Start on AR 77
64 ft·6 sec·East 3rd Street
2
Turn left onto AR 119
3.3 mi·5 min·South Main Street
3
Turn right onto US 78; AR 18
29 mi·40 min·Highway 18
4
Turn left onto AR 18
7.4 mi·8 min·Southwest Drive
5
Continue on US 78; AR 226
13 mi·14 min·US 78; AR 226
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
7
Merge onto I 57
103 mi·1 hr 45 min·I 57
8
Merge onto I 40; US 167
1.2 mi·1 min·I 40; US 167
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward John F Kennedy Boulevard
10
Turn straight onto Calvary Road
0.2 mi·18 sec·Calvary Road
11
Turn left onto AR 107
0.3 mi·34 sec·John F Kennedy Boulevard
12
Continue on North Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Trip Plan
For this 3-hour drive, leaving in the morning is a good plan, allowing you to arrive well before the evening. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $24 estimated cost suggests consistent travel on highways. Since the longest stretch is over 100 miles on I 57, plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you hit that segment. This route is easily manageable in a single day.
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 79.1 miles from Leachville, AR, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.7 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 35 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 79.1 miles or 1h 37m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Little Rock, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Leachville, 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 Leachville, AR
This is one driving day of about 158.3 miles and 3h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Leachville, 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 I 57 for about 102.7 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 156.9 — 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|AR 119 / South Main Street
Turn left onto AR 119 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
3.3 mi into trip|~5m in|US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18
Turn right onto US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18
Navigation decision point
3
32.7 mi into trip|~46m in|AR 18 / Southwest Drive
Turn left onto AR 18 / Southwest Drive
Navigation decision point
5
52.7 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
156.9 mi into trip|~2h 58m in
Take the exit toward John F Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward John F Kennedy Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.91 one way
$47.81 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$26.24
$52.49
premium
$4.56
$28.41
$56.83
diesel
$5.61
$34.95
$69.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.5
0
$16.62
$7.60
Efficient EV
39.6
0
$13.85
$6.33
EV Truck/SUV
63.3
0
$22.16
$10.13
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (65% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Leachville, AR
Morning
in Leachville on Sunday
Local time
6:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
North Little Rock, AR
Morning
in North Little Rock on Sunday
Local time
6:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Bono, AR
79 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
16 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
3h 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?
This drive is predominantly on highways, with 92% of the route utilizing them. Expect a long stretch of 102.7 miles on I 57 before transitioning to other main roads. The bulk of your travel will be on these high-speed corridors, so be prepared for the typical pace and exit frequency of interstate driving. You'll eventually transition from the interstate to surface roads for the final portion of the trip.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.7 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Highway 18. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near AR 119 / South Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 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: near the start (AR 119 / South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18): Navigation decision point; at 32.7 miles (AR 18 / Southwest Drive): Navigation decision point.
North Little Rock is in the Central region of Arkansas. Previously known as Argenta, it became known as North Little Rock after an unsuccessful annexation attempt by Little Rock.
It's prudent not to go flouting your collection of prized jewelry when roaming the streets of North Little Rock, as the community can be a little sketch.
The longest stretch is about 102.7 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: near the start (AR 119 / South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18): Navigation decision point; at 32.7 miles (AR 18 / Southwest Drive): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.0 hours — manageable with a long break at North Little Rock, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
