Rogers, AR to McGehee, AR is 313.5 miles and takes about 5h 39m via South 3rd Street and West Poplar Street, with a fuel budget near $46 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, connecting the Southeast region from start to finish. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, so plan for a more relaxed pace than interstate travel. It's a single-day option, making it convenient for those looking to reach their destination without 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
156.7 miles from Rogers, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
140.4 mi
2h 21m
US 65
59 mi
1h 12m
I 49
57.8 mi
59m
I 530
46.1 mi
47m
South 8th Street
3.4 mi
6m
North Bloomington Street
2 mi
3m
Wiley A Branton Sr Highway
1.2 mi
1m
West Monroe Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 140.4 mi, about 2h 21m
Traffic on I-530
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~852 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,084
Quietest
2 AM
~63 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 23 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 Rogers, AR and McGehee, AR.
1
Start on West Elm Street
99 ft·8 sec·West Elm Street
2
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
390 ft·18 sec·South 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto West Poplar Street
0.4 mi·1 min·West Poplar Street
4
Turn left onto US 71B
3.4 mi·6 min·South 8th Street
5
Continue on US 71B
2.0 mi·3 min·North Bloomington Street
6
Turn right onto AR 264
0.9 mi·1 min·West Monroe Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·20 sec
8
Merge onto I 49; US 62; US 71
58 mi·59 min·I 49; US 62; US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
10
Merge onto I 40; US 71
140 mi·2 hr 21 min·I 40; US 71
11
Take the exit onto US 65
4.6 mi·6 min·US 65
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 530; US 65; US 167
46 mi·47 min·I 530; US 65; US 167
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 530; US 65
1.2 mi·1 min·Wiley A Branton Sr Highway
14
Continue on US 65; US 425
38 mi·46 min·US 65; US 425
15
Continue on US 65; US 165
17 mi·19 min·US 65; US 165
16
Turn right onto AR 159
0.4 mi·37 sec·Silent Street
17
Turn slight left onto AR 159
0.7 mi·1 min·North 1st Street
18
Turn right onto US 278
0.2 mi·23 sec·Holly Street
19
Turn left onto North 4th Street
76 ft·3 sec·North 4th Street
20
Arrive at destination
North 4th Street
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of under 6 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Aim to depart Rogers, AR in the morning to allow ample time for the 313.5-mile journey. There's only one recommended stop, so plan your breaks strategically to coincide with any towns along the way. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $46, and be aware that local roads can sometimes present unexpected delays. This is a straightforward drive, so you'll have flexibility in your timing.
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 156.7 miles from Rogers, AR, or about 2h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140.4 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 69 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156.7 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McGehee, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Rogers, 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 Rogers, AR
This is one driving day of about 313.5 miles and 5h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Rogers, 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 I 40 for about 140.4 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 and 313.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South 3rd Street
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
7.1 mi into trip|~13m in|I 49; US 62; US 71
Merge onto I 49; US 62; US 71
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
64.8 mi into trip|~1h 12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
6
210.5 mi into trip|~3h 41m in|I 530; US 65; US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto I 530; US 65; US 167
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
5
313.4 mi into trip|~5h 39m in|North 4th Street
Turn left onto North 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.99 one way
$95.98 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg110 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.31
$53.15
$106.29
premium
$4.65
$57.38
$114.76
diesel
$6.28
$77.46
$154.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
94.1
1
$32.92
$15.05
Efficient EV
78.4
0
$27.43
$12.54
EV Truck/SUV
125.4
1
$43.89
$20.06
Gas CO2
110 kg
EV CO2
37 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Rogers, AR
Late night
in Rogers on Thursday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Clear
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
McGehee, AR
Late night
in McGehee on Thursday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Clear
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
73°F
Clinton, AR
157 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
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 39m 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.
Arkansas Post National Memorial
National Memorial
Located at the confluence of two rivers, Arkansas Post has served as a gathering place for many cultures throughout human history - it represents cultural cooperation, conflict, synthesis, and diversi...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 291.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route covers 313.5 miles with no highway driving, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire trip. The drive begins on South 3rd Street and West Poplar Street, transitioning to other local roads as you head south. Since there's no highway share, anticipate navigating through towns and rural areas at lower speeds.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 140.4 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 65. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 3rd Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 313.5 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: near the start (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 49; US 62; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,575 ft143 ft
Total Climb
544 ft
Total Descent
1,768 ft
Highest Point
1,575 ft
~44.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,432 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 Rogers, AR to McGehee, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 39m. Total distance: 313.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 39m 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 140.4 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 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 McGehee, 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 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 49; US 62; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Arkansas Post National Memorial. 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 11.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at McGehee, AR before the return drive.
