Springdale, AR to Lake City, AR is 266.1 miles and takes about 5h 36m via US 62 and US 63, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, primarily traversing Arkansas. With a majority of the drive on highways, expect a fairly direct path. It's a manageable one-day excursion, suitable for those looking for a straightforward trip between these two points.
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
133 miles from Springdale, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 62
142.1 mi
2h 52m
East Robinson Avenue
56.3 mi
1h 6m
US 63
20 mi
24m
US 65
12.4 mi
20m
East Highland Drive
10.6 mi
15m
T & C Boulevard
10.1 mi
11m
Main Street
5.9 mi
8m
US 63 BUS
3 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 62
— 142.1 mi, about 2h 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springdale, AR and Lake City, AR.
1
Start on North Commercial Street
0.1 mi·34 sec·North Commercial Street
2
Turn left onto East Emma Avenue
1.7 mi·3 min·East Emma Avenue
3
Turn right onto Butterfield Coach Road
1.3 mi·2 min·Butterfield Coach Road
4
Turn left onto US 412
56 mi·1 hr 6 min·East Robinson Avenue
5
Continue on US 62; US 412
5.9 mi·8 min·Main Street
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·22 sec
7
Turn right onto US 65
12 mi·20 min·US 65
8
Continue on US 62; US 412
31 mi·35 min·US 62; US 412
9
Continue on US 62; US 412
16 mi·18 min·US 62; US 412
10
Take the exit onto US 62; US 412
50 mi·56 min·US 62; US 412
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 62; US 412
10 mi·11 min·T & C Boulevard
12
Turn right onto US 63 BUS
3.0 mi·5 min·US 63 BUS
13
Continue on US 62; US 63; US 412
45 mi·1 hr 2 min·US 62; US 63; US 412
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on US 63; AR 228
20 mi·24 min·US 63; AR 228
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto US 78
0.4 mi·52 sec·US 78
Toward AR 18S
16
At end of road, turn left onto US 78; AR 18S
1.4 mi·2 min·Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
17
Turn right onto US 78; AR 18
11 mi·15 min·East Highland Drive
18
Turn right onto Cottonwood Street
255 ft·16 sec·Cottonwood Street
19
Turn left onto 2nd Street
252 ft·13 sec·2nd Street
20
Turn right onto Carter Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·Carter Street
21
At end of road, turn left onto 4th Street
36 ft·3 sec·4th Street
22
Turn right onto Carter Street
372 ft·16 sec·Carter Street
23
Arrive at destination
Carter Street
Trip Plan
For this 5.5-hour drive, leaving in the morning is advisable to allow ample time for potential stops and to avoid arriving too late. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 142.1 miles on US 62, so plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly. With a fuel cost estimated around $39, it's a budget-friendly trip. Since this is a single-day route, you have flexibility in your timing, but keeping an eye on the clock will help you make the most of your daylight.
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 133 miles from Springdale, AR, or about 2h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 142.1 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 59 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133 miles or 2h 44m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake City, 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 266.1 miles and 5h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 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 US 62 for about 142.1 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 266 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Emma Avenue
Turn left onto East Emma Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
65.5 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
175.1 mi into trip|~3h 32m in|US 62; US 412 / T & C Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto US 62; US 412 / T & C Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
253.3 mi into trip|~5h 15m in|US 78
Take the exit onto US 78 toward AR 18S
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward AR 18S
5
266 mi into trip|~5h 35m in|4th Street
At end of road, turn left onto 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.42 one way
$82.85 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$45.67
$91.33
premium
$4.71
$49.35
$98.71
diesel
$6.18
$64.73
$129.47
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: 93.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.8
0
$27.94
$12.77
Efficient EV
66.5
0
$23.28
$10.64
EV Truck/SUV
106.4
1
$37.25
$17.03
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Springdale, AR
Morning
in Springdale on Tuesday
Local time
6:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lake City, AR
Morning
in Lake City on Tuesday
Local time
6:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
ESE 0 to 5 mph0% 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
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 36m 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 features 67% highway driving, offering a mostly direct experience. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of 142.1 miles on US 62. The transition from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you move between these segments. Expect a consistent pace for much of the journey before reaching more localized roads closer to your destination.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 142.1 mi on US 62.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 62 and East Robinson Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Emma 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 5h 36m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Emma Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 65.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 175.1 miles (US 62; US 412 / T & C Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 142.1 miles on US 62. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Emma Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 65.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 175.1 miles (US 62; US 412 / T & C Boulevard): 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 Lake City, AR before the return drive.
