Lowell to Jonesboro is 253.8 miles and takes about 5h 22m via US 62 and US 65, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. Expect mostly highway driving for the majority of your trip, making it a straightforward transit. It's a solid option if you need to cover ground efficiently within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
126.9 miles from Lowell, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 62
142.1 mi
2h 52m
East Robinson Avenue
56.3 mi
1h 6m
US 65
12.4 mi
20m
US 63
12 mi
14m
T & C Boulevard
10.1 mi
11m
Main Street
5.9 mi
8m
US 63 BUS
3 mi
5m
West Washington Avenue
2.7 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 62
— 142.1 mi, about 2h 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, AR and Jonesboro, AR.
1
Start on Jackson Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·Jackson Street
2
Turn right onto McClure Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·McClure Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto AR 265
2.3 mi·3 min·North Old Wire Road
4
Continue on AR 265
1.6 mi·2 min·Dick Trammel Highway
5
Continue on AR 265
1.1 mi·2 min·North Old Missouri Road
6
Turn left onto East Huntsville Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·East Huntsville Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on Butterfield Coach Road
1.3 mi·2 min·Butterfield Coach Road
8
Turn left onto US 412
56 mi·1 hr 6 min·East Robinson Avenue
9
Continue on US 62; US 412
5.9 mi·8 min·Main Street
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·22 sec
11
Turn right onto US 65
12 mi·20 min·US 65
12
Continue on US 62; US 412
31 mi·35 min·US 62; US 412
13
Continue on US 62; US 412
16 mi·18 min·US 62; US 412
14
Take the exit onto US 62; US 412
50 mi·56 min·US 62; US 412
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 62; US 412
10 mi·11 min·T & C Boulevard
16
Turn right onto US 63 BUS
3.0 mi·5 min·US 63 BUS
17
Continue on US 62; US 63; US 412
45 mi·1 hr 2 min·US 62; US 63; US 412
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on US 63; AR 228
12 mi·14 min·US 63; AR 228
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
20
Keep slight left at fork
101 ft·7 sec
21
Turn left onto West Washington Avenue
2.7 mi·5 min·West Washington Avenue
22
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.3 mi·29 sec·South Main Street
23
Turn right onto Cate Avenue
207 ft·14 sec·Cate Avenue
24
Turn left
75 ft·5 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour drive, leaving in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and enjoy a single-day trip. With only one stop suggested, you can take it easy and make it a quick break or a more extended rest. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $38, and it's always wise to fill up before hitting longer stretches. Since the longest continuous drive is over 140 miles on US 62, consider a fuel and stretch stop around the halfway point of that segment if needed.
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 126.9 miles from Lowell, AR, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 142.1 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 56 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 126.9 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 18m
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 Lowell, 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 Lowell, AR
This is one driving day of about 253.8 miles and 5h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Lowell, 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 62 for about 142.1 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 250.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|McClure Avenue
Turn right onto McClure Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|AR 265 / North Old Wire Road
At end of road, turn right onto AR 265 / North Old Wire Road
Navigation decision point
6
5.9 mi into trip|~10m in|East Huntsville Avenue
Turn left onto East Huntsville Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
70.7 mi into trip|~1h 30m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
250.8 mi into trip|~5h 15m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.23 one way
$70.46 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$39.42
$78.84
premium
$4.29
$42.86
$85.71
diesel
$4.80
$47.92
$95.84
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.1
0
$26.65
$12.18
Efficient EV
63.5
0
$22.21
$10.15
EV Truck/SUV
101.5
1
$35.53
$16.24
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Lowell, AR
Late night
in Lowell on Sunday
Local time
3:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 4:25AM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:07AM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Destination
Jonesboro, AR
Late night
in Jonesboro on Sunday
Local time
3:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
W 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 4:25AM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:07AM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
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
3 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
5h 22m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 67% of this 253.8-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 142.1 miles, primarily on US 62. After this, expect the route to transition to surface roads as you approach your destination. Given the highway percentage, anticipate a fair amount of merging and higher speeds for a significant portion of the drive.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 142.1 mi on US 62.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 62 and East Robinson Avenue. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near McClure Avenue.
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 253.8 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (McClure Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (AR 265 / North Old Wire Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (East Huntsville Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 22m. Total distance: 253.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 142.1 miles on US 62. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 2 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (McClure Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (AR 265 / North Old Wire Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (East Huntsville Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Jonesboro, AR before the return drive.
