Origin
Little Rock, AR
Late night in Little Rock on Sunday
Local time
2:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Little Rock, AR to Malvern, AR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
46.9 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Little Rock, AR
Wikimedia Commons
Malvern, AR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Little Rock to Malvern, you are looking at a straightforward 46.9-mile trip that typically takes about 55 minutes. This journey stays entirely within the Southeast region of Arkansas, making it a perfect candidate for a quick day trip. You will not need to worry about overnight logistics, as the short duration allows you to complete the drive in a single day with ease. With fuel costs estimated at around $7, it is an incredibly budget-friendly outing for locals or visitors. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, this route is simple enough to navigate without complex planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 30 | 41.3 mi | 44m |
| US 270 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Wilbur D. Mills Freeway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| State Capitol | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Dr Martin Luther King Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Page Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 7th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Mall | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 30
— 41.3 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Little Rock, AR and Malvern, 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
286 ft
·
13 sec
·
West 7th Street
7
Turn right onto Dr Martin Luther King Drive
473 ft
·
21 sec
·
Dr Martin Luther King Drive
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 630
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilbur D. Mills Freeway
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 139B
Toward I 30 West: Texarkana
11
Merge onto I 30; US 65; US 67; US 167
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 30; US 65; US 67; US 167
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 30; US 67
24 mi
·
26 min
·
I 30; US 67
Exit 138
Toward Texarkana
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 30; US 70
16 mi
·
16 min
·
I 30; US 70
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 270B East: Malvern
15
Merge onto US 270
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
US 270
16
Turn right onto West Page Avenue
288 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Page Avenue
17
Turn right
73 ft
·
7 sec
18
Turn right
126 ft
·
9 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Little Rock, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 3.5 — 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
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West 7th Street
Turn left onto West 7th Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 30 West: Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 139B
Toward I 30 West: Texarkana
8
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 30; US 67
Keep slight right at fork onto I 30; US 67 toward Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 138
Toward Texarkana
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.08 one way
$14.17 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $7.78 | $15.55 |
| premium | $4.56 | $8.42 | $16.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Malvern, AR
Late night in Malvern on Sunday
Local time
2:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
55m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike long-haul interstate travel, this route avoids highways entirely, maintaining a 0% highway share as you navigate via the State Capitol, Capitol Mall, and West 7th Street. Because the path relies on local roads rather than high-speed thoroughfares, you should anticipate a more technical experience with frequent turns. The lack of a long, uninterrupted stretch means you will be actively driving for the duration of the 55-minute trip. It is a practical, hands-on route that feels more like a local commute than a sprawling cross-country expedition.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.3 mi on I 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 30 and US 270. 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 Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 46.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (State Capitol): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (West 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Little Rock, AR to Malvern, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Texarkana along the way.
Texarkana
3.5 mi in
|
~6m
|
via I 30; US 67
About the Cities
Starting in Little Rock, AR
Full guide →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.
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 55m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.3 miles on I 30. 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 Malvern, AR before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.1 miles (State Capitol): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (West 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
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 Malvern, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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