Smackover, AR to Fort Smith, AR is 228.9 miles and takes about 4h 55m via US 71 and AR 7, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, beginning in the Southeast region and ending in the same state. You'll be spending most of your time on highways, making this a fairly direct, though not entirely interstate, journey. With a recommended one-day drive, it's a solid option if you're looking for a straightforward trip across the state.
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
114.4 miles from Smackover, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 71
56 mi
1h 8m
AR 7
47.5 mi
1h 11m
Albert Pike Road
32.5 mi
37m
US 270
31.7 mi
39m
Valley Street
26.8 mi
30m
Smackover Highway
15.5 mi
17m
North 10th Street
3.8 mi
5m
Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
3.7 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 71
— 56 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smackover, AR and Fort Smith, AR.
1
Start on AR 7B
2.4 mi·4 min·East 7th Street
2
Turn right onto AR 7
15 mi·17 min·Smackover Highway
3
Continue on AR 7
1.5 mi·2 min·South Adams Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 79B; AR 7
1.1 mi·1 min·Van Buren Street Northeast
5
Turn left onto AR 7
25 mi·37 min·AR 7
6
At end of road, turn left onto AR 7
22 mi·33 min·AR 7
7
Turn right onto US 67; AR 7; AR 8; AR 51
3.8 mi·5 min·North 10th Street
8
Continue on US 67; AR 7
27 mi·30 min·Valley Street
9
Turn left onto AR 88
1.6 mi·3 min·Higdon Ferry Road
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
11
Merge onto US 70; US 270
3.7 mi·3 min·Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·28 sec
13
Turn sharp left onto US 270B
33 mi·37 min·Albert Pike Road
14
Continue on US 270; AR 27
32 mi·39 min·US 270; AR 27
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 71
54 mi·1 hr 6 min·US 71
16
Take the exit onto US 71
1.6 mi·2 min·US 71
Toward 540 North
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·37 sec
Toward Greenwood Road
18
Turn left onto AR 45
2.1 mi·3 min·Old Greenwood Road
19
Continue on South 31st Street
0.5 mi·54 sec·South 31st Street
20
Continue on Old Greenwood Road
0.2 mi·27 sec·Old Greenwood Road
21
Turn left onto AR 22
0.3 mi·45 sec·Rogers Avenue
22
Turn right onto North Greenwood Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·North Greenwood Avenue
23
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.3 mi·27 sec·Grand Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 55m estimated drive time, leaving Smackover in the morning will comfortably get you to Fort Smith before evening. The fuel cost is estimated at $35, so ensure your tank is full before you depart, as the longest stretch without a town is 56 miles on US 71. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to decide when and where to take a break. Since this is a single-day trip, consider starting early to maximize daylight and enjoy the drive without feeling rushed.
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 114.4 miles from Smackover, AR, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56 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 50 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.4 miles or 2h 33m 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Smith, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Smackover, 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 Smackover, AR
This is one driving day of about 228.9 miles and 4h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Smackover, 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 71 for about 56 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
4.1 mi from route
~10 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 228.9
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Hours: 6 am–3 pm
+14796464309
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 104.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in|AR 7 / Smackover Highway
Turn right onto AR 7 / Smackover Highway
Navigation decision point
4
19.4 mi into trip|~24m in|US 79B; AR 7 / Van Buren Street Northeast
Turn right onto US 79B; AR 7 / Van Buren Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
4
20.5 mi into trip|~25m in|AR 7
Turn left onto AR 7
Navigation decision point
4
45.5 mi into trip|~1h 3m in|AR 7
At end of road, turn left onto AR 7
Navigation decision point
5
104.2 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|US 270B / Albert Pike Road
Turn sharp left onto US 270B / Albert Pike Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.57 one way
$69.14 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$37.95
$75.90
premium
$4.56
$41.08
$82.17
diesel
$5.61
$50.54
$101.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.7
0
$24.03
$10.99
Efficient EV
57.2
0
$20.03
$9.16
EV Truck/SUV
91.6
1
$32.05
$14.65
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Smackover, AR
Night
in Smackover on Saturday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Smith, AR
Night
in Fort Smith on Saturday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live 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
1 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
4h 55m 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.
Hot Springs National Park
National Park
Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of our historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of y...
5 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 102.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily highway-focused, with 61% of the route on higher-speed roads. You'll encounter a 56-mile stretch on US 71, offering a good opportunity to make steady progress. While much of the journey involves established highways like US 71 and AR 7, the inclusion of Albert Pike Road suggests some sections might offer a slightly more local road feel. Expect a mix of efficient travel and potentially some more winding or scenic segments as you navigate through Arkansas.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 56 mi on US 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 71 and AR 7. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near AR 7 / Smackover Highway.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 55m drive. You will face about 17 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (AR 7 / Smackover Highway): Navigation decision point; at 19.4 miles (US 79B; AR 7 / Van Buren Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 20.5 miles (AR 7): Navigation decision point.
Fort Smith is in northwest Arkansas and borders Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Sebastian County. The city has a population of 80,286 which makes it the third largest city in Arkansas behind Little Rock and Fayetteville. It is located in the River Valley of Arkansas between the Ouachita mountains in the south and the Boston and Ozark mountains of the north and a gateway city to the Ozarks.
The longest stretch is about 56 miles on US 71. 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 2.4 miles (AR 7 / Smackover Highway): Navigation decision point; at 19.4 miles (US 79B; AR 7 / Van Buren Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 20.5 miles (AR 7): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Hot Springs National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Fort Smith, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
