Paragould to Cave Springs is 263.6 miles and takes about 5h 35m via US 412 and US 62, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, traversing the state's Southeast region. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making it a straightforward drive for a single day. It’s a practical option if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss, offering a solid amount of driving time to cover the distance.
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
131.8 miles from Paragould, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 412
61.8 mi
1h 15m
US 62
53.3 mi
1h 9m
T & C Boulevard
49.9 mi
56m
US 63
33.4 mi
47m
West Kings Highway
26.8 mi
32m
Shield-Hopper Bypass
19.1 mi
22m
Shied-Hopper Bypass
5.4 mi
6m
Portia Road
3.9 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 412
— 61.8 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paragould, AR and Cave Springs, AR.
1
Start on Winchester
0.2 mi·44 sec·Winchester
2
At end of road, turn right onto Hayes Place
237 ft·15 sec·Hayes Place
3
Turn left onto West Hunt Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·West Hunt Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto North 14th Street
51 ft·2 sec·North 14th Street
5
Turn right onto West Hunt Street
251 ft·13 sec·West Hunt Street
6
Turn left onto US 49; AR 1
0.2 mi·20 sec·US 49; AR 1
7
Turn right onto US 49Y
0.4 mi·41 sec·West Court Street
8
Turn right onto US 412B
27 mi·32 min·West Kings Highway
9
Continue on US 412B
3.9 mi·5 min·Portia Road
10
At end of road, turn right onto US 63; US 412
33 mi·47 min·US 63; US 412
11
Turn right onto US 62; US 412
436 ft·5 sec·US 62; US 412
12
Continue on US 62; US 63; US 412
1.4 mi·1 min·US 62; US 63; US 412
13
Continue on US 62; US 412
413 ft·13 sec·US 62; US 412
14
Continue on US 62; US 412; US 63 Business
0.2 mi·27 sec·US 62; US 412; US 63 Business
15
Take the exit
365 ft·10 sec
16
Merge onto US 62; US 412; AR 175
10 mi·11 min·US 62; US 412; AR 175
17
Continue on US 62; US 412
50 mi·56 min·T & C Boulevard
18
Turn left onto US 62; US 412
332 ft·4 sec·Shield-Hopper Highway
19
Continue on US 62; US 412
5.4 mi·6 min·Shied-Hopper Bypass
20
Continue on US 62; US 412
19 mi·22 min·Shield-Hopper Bypass
21
Turn right onto US 62; US 412
23 mi·25 min·US 62; US 412
22
At end of road, turn right onto US 62; US 65; US 412
7.2 mi·11 min·US 62; US 65; US 412
23
Take the exit onto US 62; US 65; US 412
5.0 mi·7 min·US 62; US 65; US 412
24
Take the exit onto US 62; US 412
6.1 mi·8 min·US 62; US 412
25
Continue on US 62; US 412
0.5 mi·1 min·US 62; US 412
Use the straight / left lanes.
26
Turn left onto US 412
59 mi·1 hr 10 min·US 412
Use the left lane.
27
Keep slight right at fork onto US 412
3.0 mi·5 min·US 412
Use the straight / right lanes.
28
Continue on US 71B
2.0 mi·3 min·North Thompson Road
29
Continue on US 71B
1.0 mi·1 min·South Bloomington Street
30
Turn left onto AR 264
3.7 mi·6 min·West Monroe Avenue
31
Continue on AR 264
1.8 mi·3 min·East Lowell Avenue
32
Turn right onto AR 112
0.3 mi·36 sec·South Main Street (Cave Springs)
33
Turn right onto Midway Avenue
53 ft·7 sec·Midway Avenue
34
Turn left
43 ft·3 sec
35
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 35m duration, leaving Paragould in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight. With only one recommended stop, plan it strategically to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on fuel, especially before the 61.8-mile stretch on US 412, as services can be spaced out in rural areas. Your estimated fuel cost is around $42, so budget accordingly. Since this is a one-day trip, you have flexibility in your departure time.
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 131.8 miles from Paragould, AR, or about 2h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.8 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 58 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.8 miles or 2h 45m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cave Springs, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Paragould, 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 Paragould, AR
This is one driving day of about 263.6 miles and 5h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Paragould, 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 412 for about 61.8 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 251.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Hayes Place
At end of road, turn right onto Hayes Place
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|West Hunt Street
Turn left onto West Hunt Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|North 14th Street
At end of road, turn left onto North 14th Street
Navigation decision point
5
174.3 mi into trip|~3h 34m in|US 62; US 65; US 412
At end of road, turn right onto US 62; US 65; US 412
Navigation decision point
6
251.8 mi into trip|~5h 14m in|US 412
Keep slight right at fork onto US 412
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.52 one way
$81.03 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg92 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$44.81
$89.62
premium
$4.65
$48.23
$96.45
diesel
$5.35
$55.52
$111.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.1
0
$27.68
$12.65
Efficient EV
65.9
0
$23.07
$10.54
EV Truck/SUV
105.4
1
$36.90
$16.87
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Paragould, AR
Afternoon
in Paragould on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 5 mph24% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 7:45PM CDT until June 6 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 7:44PM CDT until June 2 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Destination
Cave Springs, AR
Afternoon
in Cave Springs on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Cloudy
S 5 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 7:45PM CDT until June 6 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 7:44PM CDT until June 2 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
70°F
Summit, AR
132 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
2 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 35m 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?
This route is 56% highway, meaning you'll spend over half the drive on faster roads like US 412. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 61.8 miles on US 412. You'll transition from highway to surface roads as you progress, with the final leg likely involving more local traffic. This profile suggests a mixed driving experience, starting with open road and ending with more varied conditions.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.8 mi on US 412.
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 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Hayes Place.
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 263.6 miles you will encounter 19 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 (Hayes Place): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (West Hunt Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (North 14th Street): Navigation decision point.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 35m. Total distance: 263.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.8 miles on US 412. 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 (Hayes Place): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (West Hunt Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (North 14th Street): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cave Springs, AR before the return drive.
