Springdale, AR to Gravel Ridge, AR is 203.4 miles and takes about 3h 38m via I 40, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, traversing the Southeast region for its entirety. With a high highway percentage, expect a fairly direct path. This route is ideal for a single-day trip, allowing for a relaxed start or an early arrival at your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
101.7 miles from Springdale, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
140 mi
2h 20m
Fulbright Expressway
48.3 mi
49m
John F Kennedy Boulevard
8.5 mi
15m
North Thompson Street
3.3 mi
6m
North College Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
East Johnson Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Jacksonville Cutoff Road
0.4 mi
<1m
I- 40 Access Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 140 mi, about 2h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springdale, AR and Gravel Ridge, AR.
1
Start on North Commercial Street
119 ft·7 sec·North Commercial Street
2
Turn right onto East Johnson Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·East Johnson Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 71B
3.3 mi·6 min·North Thompson Street
4
Continue on US 71B
1.5 mi·2 min·North College Avenue
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71B
48 mi·49 min·Fulbright Expressway
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
7
Merge onto I 40; US 71
140 mi·2 hr 20 min·I 40; US 71
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on I- 40 Access Road
368 ft·7 sec·I- 40 Access Road
10
At end of road, turn left onto AR 107
0.4 mi·49 sec·John F Kennedy Boulevard
11
Continue on AR 107
8.0 mi·14 min·John F Kennedy Boulevard
12
Turn right onto Jacksonville Cutoff Road
0.4 mi·55 sec·Jacksonville Cutoff Road
13
Turn left onto Cordelia Drive
37 ft·1 sec·Cordelia Drive
14
Arrive at destination
Cordelia Drive
Trip Plan
Consider leaving Springdale in the morning to make the most of daylight for this 3h 38m drive. With just one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $30, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. The longest stretch on I 40 is 140 miles, so ensure you have adequate fuel before embarking on that segment. Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart on your schedule.
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 101.7 miles from Springdale, AR, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140 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 45 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.7 miles or 1h 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gravel Ridge, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Springdale, 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 Springdale, AR
This is one driving day of about 203.4 miles and 3h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Springdale, 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 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 203.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Johnson Avenue
Turn right onto East Johnson Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
5.4 mi into trip|~10m in|US 71B / Fulbright Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71B / Fulbright Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
53.7 mi into trip|~1h 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
5
194.3 mi into trip|~3h 22m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
203.4 mi into trip|~3h 38m in|Cordelia Drive
Turn left onto Cordelia Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.26 one way
$62.53 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$34.58
$69.16
premium
$4.65
$37.21
$74.43
diesel
$5.35
$42.84
$85.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61
0
$21.36
$9.76
Efficient EV
50.9
0
$17.80
$8.14
EV Truck/SUV
81.4
1
$28.48
$13.02
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 May 28, 2026
Origin
Springdale, AR
Afternoon
in Springdale on Wednesday
Local time
4:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
E 0 to 5 mph67% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 27 at 9:09PM CDT until May 28 at 12:15AM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 27 at 8:58PM CDT until May 28 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Destination
Gravel Ridge, AR
Afternoon
in Gravel Ridge on Wednesday
Local time
4:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
0 mph60% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 27 at 9:09PM CDT until May 28 at 12:15AM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 27 at 8:58PM CDT until May 28 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Little Rock AR
73°F
London, AR
102 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
3h 38m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 predominantly highway, with 93% of the 203.4 miles on major roads like I 40 and Fulbright Expressway. You'll experience a long stretch of 140 miles on I 40, suggesting consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads will likely occur closer to your destination, offering a change of pace after extended highway driving.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 140 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Fulbright Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Johnson Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 38m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Johnson Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (US 71B / Fulbright Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,648 ft254 ft
Total Climb
436 ft
Total Descent
1,506 ft
Highest Point
1,648 ft
~29.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,394 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 Springdale, AR to Gravel Ridge, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
The longest stretch is about 140 miles on I 40. 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.
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: near the start (East Johnson Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (US 71B / Fulbright Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Gravel Ridge, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
