New Caledonia, AR to Tontitown, AR is 327.6 miles and takes about 6h 4m via US 65 and US 167, with a fuel budget near $46 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, connecting the Southeast region to itself. Expect a mostly highway experience, making it a straightforward drive for a single day. The total duration is manageable, suggesting you can complete it without needing an overnight stop.
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
163.8 miles from New Caledonia, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 65
141 mi
2h 22m
US 167
51.3 mi
1h 1m
I 49
51.3 mi
52m
Lee Street
35.7 mi
43m
Sheridan Bypass
17.9 mi
20m
Junction City Highway
15 mi
16m
Calion Highway
9.8 mi
12m
Caledonia Road
1.8 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
US 65
— 141 mi, about 2h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Caledonia, AR and Tontitown, 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
141 mi·2 hr 22 min·US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
14
Continue on I 49
46 mi·47 min·I 49
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 49; US 62; US 71
4.9 mi·5 min·I 49; US 62; US 71
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 72Toward US 412Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
193 ft·12 sec
Toward US 412Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn left onto US 412
1.5 mi·2 min·West Sunset Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
19
Continue on US 412
1.0 mi·1 min·East Henri de Tonti Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Turn right
0.3 mi·1 min
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 4m estimated drive time, starting your trip in the morning will allow you to reach Tontitown with plenty of daylight. The route is primarily highway, so keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the longest stretch of 141 miles on US 65, where services might be less frequent. With a fuel cost estimate of $46, it's wise to factor this into your budget. Since this is a single-day drive, you have the flexibility to make brief stops as needed without significantly impacting your arrival time.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 163.8 miles from New Caledonia, AR, or about 3h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 141 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 72 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163.8 miles or 3h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tontitown, 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 327.6 miles and 6h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 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 65 for about 141 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 117.2 and 324.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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.
7
324.5 mi into trip|~5h 57m in
Take the exit toward US 412
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 72
Toward US 412
8
324.8 mi into trip|~5h 58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 412
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward US 412
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.48 one way
$90.95 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg115 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$50.88
$101.76
premium
$4.29
$55.32
$110.64
diesel
$4.80
$61.86
$123.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
98.3
1
$34.40
$15.72
Efficient EV
81.9
0
$28.67
$13.10
EV Truck/SUV
131
1
$45.86
$20.97
Gas CO2
115 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 17, 2026
Origin
New Caledonia, AR
Evening
in New Caledonia on Saturday
Local time
8:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Partly Sunny
SW 5 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Tontitown, AR
Evening
in Tontitown on Saturday
Local time
8:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 5 to 10 mph28% 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
6 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
6h 4m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 primarily on highways, with 74% of the total distance covered by major roads like US 65 and US 167. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 141 miles on US 65, which should offer a consistent cruising experience. The remaining portion will transition to surface roads, likely with more varied speed limits and potentially more local traffic as you approach your destination.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 141 mi on US 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 65 and US 167. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 117.2 miles in near US 167.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 327.6 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 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 131.9 miles (US 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 132.1 miles (US 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,655 ft163 ft
Total Climb
1,535 ft
Total Descent
434 ft
Highest Point
1,655 ft
~304.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,491 ft
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 Tontitown, AR, road signs point toward Little Rock and Fort Smith.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 4m. Total distance: 327.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 4m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 141 miles on US 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 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.
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 Tontitown, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 131.9 miles (US 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 132.1 miles (US 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Tontitown, AR before the return drive.
