Purvis, MS to Southaven, MS is 297.3 miles and takes about 5h 40m via I 55 and US 49, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Mississippi, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. It's a straightforward drive primarily on major highways, making it a practical choice for a single-day trip. You'll find it a convenient way to cover ground within the state, with most of your time spent on well-maintained roads.
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
148.6 miles from Purvis, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
195.7 mi
3h 31m
US 49
83.7 mi
1h 42m
US 11
9.1 mi
13m
Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
6.8 mi
7m
Stateline Road West
0.4 mi
<1m
Shelby Speights Drive
0.3 mi
<1m
Millbranch Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Haleville Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 195.7 mi, about 3h 31m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 57 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,443 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~141 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Purvis, MS and Southaven, MS.
1
Start on Shelby Speights Drive
0.3 mi·51 sec·Shelby Speights Drive
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto US 11
9.1 mi·13 min·US 11
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward Jackson, Laurel
4
Merge onto I 59; US 98
6.8 mi·7 min·Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Toward US 49 North, MS 42 West: JacksonUse the slight right lane.
6
Continue on US 49
1.2 mi·1 min·US 49
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 49; MS 42
5.4 mi·6 min·US 49; MS 42
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 49
5.3 mi·6 min·US 49
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 49
0.2 mi·14 sec·US 49
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 49
4.2 mi·4 min·US 49
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 49
66 mi·1 hr 20 min·US 49
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit onto US 49
0.2 mi·21 sec·US 49
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 49
0.7 mi·1 min·US 49
Toward Jackson
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 49
0.9 mi·1 min·US 49
15
Merge onto I 55
196 mi·3 hr 31 min·I 55
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward Southaven, Horn Lake
17
Turn left onto Stateline Road West
0.4 mi·53 sec·Stateline Road West
18
Turn left onto Millbranch Road
0.2 mi·36 sec·Millbranch Road
19
Turn right onto Haleville Drive
0.2 mi·53 sec·Haleville Drive
20
Turn left onto Five Oaks Drive North
0.1 mi·28 sec·Five Oaks Drive North
21
Arrive at destination
Five Oaks Drive West
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour 40 minute estimated drive time, leaving Purvis in the morning should allow you to reach Southaven well before evening. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $41, you can plan for a relatively uninterrupted drive. The longest stretch is nearly 200 miles on I 55, so ensure you have entertainment or a co-pilot for that segment. It's a good idea to top off your fuel tank before departing Purvis, as services can become less frequent on longer highway stretches.
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 148.6 miles from Purvis, MS, or about 2h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 195.7 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 65 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 148.6 miles or 2h 57m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Southaven, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Purvis, MS 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 Purvis, MS
This is one driving day of about 297.3 miles and 5h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 miles from Purvis, MS.
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 I 55 for about 195.7 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 0.3 and 296 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|US 11
Turn left onto US 11
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
9.6 mi into trip|~14m in|I 59; US 98 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 59; US 98 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
16.4 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the exit toward US 49 North, MS 42 West: Jackson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 49 North, MS 42 West: Jackson
5
98.7 mi into trip|~2h 3m in|US 49
Keep slight left at fork onto US 49 toward Jackson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Jackson
5
296 mi into trip|~5h 37m in
Take the exit toward Southaven, Horn Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Southaven, Horn Lake
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.27 one way
$82.54 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg104 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$46.18
$92.35
premium
$4.29
$50.20
$100.40
diesel
$4.80
$56.14
$112.27
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: 104 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
89.2
1
$31.22
$14.27
Efficient EV
74.3
0
$26.01
$11.89
EV Truck/SUV
118.9
1
$41.62
$19.03
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% 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
Purvis, MS
Late night
in Purvis on Sunday
Local time
3:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Southaven, MS
Late night
in Southaven on Sunday
Local time
3:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Sunny
W 10 mph5% 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 40m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
4 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 102.5
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
National Monument
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled to Money, Mississippi, to visit relatives. He was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered after reportedly whistling at a white woman. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley...
29 mi from route
~71 min detour
Free
near mile 235.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is almost entirely highway driving, with 97% of the 297.3 miles on interstates and major US highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 195.7 miles on I 55 without needing to exit. Expect a consistent cruising experience for the vast majority of the trip, with the occasional transition onto surface roads as you approach your destination.
97% 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: 195.7 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and US 49. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near US 11.
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 297.3 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 0.3 miles (US 11): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 59; US 98 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
491 ft182 ft
Total Climb
666 ft
Total Descent
735 ft
Highest Point
491 ft
~63.9 mi in
Elevation Range
309 ft
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 Purvis, MS to Southaven, MS, road signs begin pointing toward Jackson along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 40m. Total distance: 297.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 195.7 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 15 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 Southaven, MS 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 15 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 11): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 59; US 98 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument and Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Southaven, MS before the return drive.
