If you are planning to travel from Little Rock to Jonesboro, you are looking at a 131-mile journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 5 minutes. Since this is a straightforward trip within the Southeast region of Arkansas, it works perfectly as a single-day excursion. You should budget approximately $18 for fuel to cover the distance. Because there are no designated stops required, you can easily complete the drive in one go without needing an overnight stay. It is a practical route for those needing to commute or visit between these two cities efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
64.8 miles from Little Rock, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
102.7 mi
1h 46m
US 78
12.1 mi
13m
Southwest Drive
7.4 mi
9m
US 67
1.6 mi
2m
South Main Street
1.4 mi
2m
West 7th Street
1.3 mi
3m
I 30
0.8 mi
1m
Broadway Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 102.7 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Little Rock, AR and Jonesboro, AR.
1
Start on this road
385 ft·35 sec·this road
2
Turn sharp left onto State Capitol
361 ft·16 sec·State Capitol
3
Continue on State Capitol
528 ft·23 sec·State Capitol
4
Turn left onto Capitol Mall
116 ft·7 sec·Capitol Mall
5
Turn right onto State Capitol
387 ft·22 sec·State Capitol
6
Turn left onto West 7th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
7
Turn left onto US 70
0.5 mi·53 sec·Broadway Street
8
Continue on US 70
0.5 mi·44 sec·Broadway Bridge
9
Continue on North Broadway Street
0.3 mi·29 sec·North Broadway Street
10
Continue on West 7th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
11
Turn left onto North Locust Street
46 ft·0 sec·North Locust Street
12
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·15 sec
13
Merge onto I 30; US 65; US 67; US 167
0.8 mi·1 min·I 30; US 65; US 67; US 167
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 67; US 167
1.6 mi·2 min·US 67; US 167
Exit 143BToward I 40 East, US 67 North, US 167 North: Jacksonville, Memphis
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57; US 167
28 mi·29 min·I 57; US 167
Toward Saint LouisUse the slight left lane.
16
Continue on I 57; US 64; US 167
74 mi·1 hr 16 min·I 57; US 64; US 167
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward AR 226: Jonesboro
18
Keep slight right at fork
346 ft·8 sec
19
Merge onto US 78; AR 226
12 mi·13 min·US 78; AR 226
20
Continue on US 49; US 63; US 78
7.4 mi·9 min·Southwest Drive
21
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi·2 min·South Main Street
22
Turn right onto Cate Avenue
207 ft·14 sec·Cate Avenue
23
Turn left
75 ft·5 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the turn-heavy nature of the route, prioritize leaving during daylight hours to better navigate the local roads confidently. While the 2-hour and 5-minute duration is relatively short, the lack of highway stretches means you should stay alert for frequent turns rather than settling into a cruise-control rhythm. Since you won’t have the convenience of interstate service stations, ensure your tank is ready for the $18 fuel cost before departing. Take advantage of the trip's flexibility by planning your departure to avoid peak local traffic hours near the State Capitol and West 7th Street.
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 64.8 miles from Little Rock, AR, or about 1h 12m 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 29 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.8 miles or 1h 12m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jonesboro, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Little Rock, 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 Little Rock, AR
This is one driving day of about 129.7 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Little Rock, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 5.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|State Capitol
Turn sharp left onto State Capitol
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Capitol Mall
Turn left onto Capitol Mall
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|State Capitol
Turn right onto State Capitol
Navigation decision point
7
3.8 mi into trip|~8m in|US 67; US 167
Keep slight right at fork onto US 67; US 167 toward I 40 East, US 67 North, US 167 North: Jacksonville, Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 143B
Toward I 40 East, US 67 North, US 167 North: Ja...
7
5.4 mi into trip|~10m in|I 57; US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57; US 167 toward Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Saint Louis
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.59 one way
$39.18 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$21.50
$43.01
premium
$4.56
$23.28
$46.56
diesel
$5.61
$28.64
$57.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.9
0
$13.62
$6.23
Efficient EV
32.4
0
$11.35
$5.19
EV Truck/SUV
51.9
0
$18.16
$8.30
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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 Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Little Rock, AR
Late night
in Little Rock on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jonesboro, AR
Late night
in Jonesboro on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 15 mph9% chanceLive forecast
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
10 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 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features 0% highway travel. You will navigate through city infrastructure, starting near the State Capitol, Capitol Mall, and West 7th Street. Because the longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on State Capitol, you should be prepared for frequent turns and a constant need for attention behind the wheel. The road’s personality is defined by its local character, requiring you to manage the pace through urban settings throughout the entire 131-mile duration.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 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?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and US 78. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near State Capitol.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 129.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (State Capitol): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.2 miles (Capitol Mall): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (State Capitol): Navigation decision point.
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the state of Arkansas. Little Rock is a cultural, economic, government, and transportation center within Arkansas and the American South. Several cultural institutions are in Little Rock, along with hiking, boating, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. Little Rock's history is available through history museums, historic districts or neighborhoods.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 129.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 23m 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 102.7 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Jonesboro, AR before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (State Capitol): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.2 miles (Capitol Mall): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (State Capitol): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jonesboro, AR before heading back.
