Traveling from New Caledonia to Conway covers 161.7 miles of Arkansas landscape, typically taking about 2 hours and 44 minutes. This journey functions perfectly as a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $22 on fuel for the trek. You will be moving from the southeast portion of the state toward the central region, navigating a path that relies heavily on local roads rather than major interstates. It is a straightforward route for those looking to connect these two points efficiently while maintaining a steady pace.
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
80 miles from New Caledonia, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 167
51.3 mi
1h 1m
Lee Street
35.7 mi
43m
US 65
26.4 mi
28m
Sheridan Bypass
17.9 mi
20m
Junction City Highway
15 mi
16m
Calion Highway
9.8 mi
12m
Caledonia Road
1.8 mi
6m
East Oak Street
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 167
— 51.3 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Caledonia, AR and Conway, AR.
1
Start on Caledonia Road
1.8 mi·6 min·Caledonia Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 63; US 167
9.0 mi·10 min·Junction City Highway
3
Continue on US 63; US 167; AR 7
0.3 mi·18 sec·Barnett Drive
4
Continue on US 63; US 167; AR 7
6.1 mi·6 min·Junction City Highway
5
Take the exit onto US 167
0.4 mi·40 sec·US 167
Toward US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Little Rock
6
Continue on US 167
9.8 mi·12 min·Calion Highway
7
Merge onto US 167
36 mi·43 min·Lee Street
8
Turn left onto US 167
36 mi·44 min·US 167
9
Continue on US 167
18 mi·20 min·Sheridan Bypass
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167
15 mi·16 min·US 167
Toward I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North: Little Rock
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65
0.3 mi·35 sec·US 65
Exit 143AToward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65
26 mi·27 min·US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward US 64
14
Keep slight left at fork
271 ft·8 sec
15
Turn left onto US 64
1.0 mi·1 min·East Oak Street
16
Keep slight left at fork onto Oak Street
0.3 mi·38 sec·Oak Street
17
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
497 ft·19 sec·Locust Avenue
18
Turn left onto Main Street
104 ft·4 sec·Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively quick trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time based on your personal schedule. You only need to account for one planned stop to break up the 161.7-mile distance, making it easy to manage your fatigue. Keep a close eye on your navigation as you transition between Junction City Highway and US 167 North, as the turn-heavy nature of the route can make missing an exit easy. Budgeting $22 for fuel is a solid baseline, but consider topping off your tank before you leave New Caledonia to ensure you have a stress-free drive. Staying alert is key, especially since the road profile requires consistent steering and focus.
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 80 miles from New Caledonia, AR, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.3 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 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80 miles or 1h 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 2h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Conway, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Caledonia, 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 New Caledonia, AR
This is one driving day of about 159.9 miles and 3h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from New Caledonia, 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 167 for about 51.3 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 132.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.8 mi into trip|~6m in|US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway
At end of road, turn right onto US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway
Navigation decision point
5
17.1 mi into trip|~24m in|US 167
Take the exit onto US 167 toward US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Little Rock
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Li...
6
117.2 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167 toward I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North: Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North:...
7
131.9 mi into trip|~2h 41m in|US 65
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65 toward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 143A
Toward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Co...
6
132.1 mi into trip|~2h 42m in|US 65
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.15 one way
$48.30 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg56 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$26.51
$53.02
premium
$4.56
$28.70
$57.40
diesel
$5.61
$35.30
$70.61
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: 55.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48
0
$16.79
$7.68
Efficient EV
40
0
$13.99
$6.40
EV Truck/SUV
64
0
$22.39
$10.23
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 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
New Caledonia, AR
Night
in New Caledonia on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Conway, AR
Night
in Conway on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Walnut Ridge, AR
80 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
1 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 13m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route features a 0% highway share, meaning you will spend the entirety of the 2-hour and 44-minute duration navigating regional roads like Junction City Highway, Barnett Drive, and US 167 North. Because the longest uninterrupted stretch on the Junction City Highway is 0 miles, you should anticipate frequent turns and constant adjustments rather than long, straight-line cruising. This profile creates a more engaging, hands-on driving experience that keeps you active throughout the entire 161.7-mile distance.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.3 mi on US 167.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway.
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 159.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.8 miles (US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles (US 167): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Caledonia, AR and Conway, AR, road signs point toward Little Rock and Fort Smith.
Little Rock
17.1 mi in|~24m|via US 167
Fort Smith
131.9 mi in|~2h 41m|via US 65
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 13m. Total distance: 159.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.3 miles on US 167. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 1.8 miles (US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles (US 167): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Conway, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
