Tennessee, AR to Waldron, AR is 200.3 miles and takes about 3h 59m via US 270, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, moving from the Southeast region to a slightly more interior part of the state. With a driving time under four hours, it's a straightforward drive that doesn't require an overnight stay. Expect a mix of highway and surface road driving for the entirety of your trip.
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
100.1 miles from Tennessee, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 270
46.4 mi
57m
Albert Pike Road
32.5 mi
37m
Sheridan Road
31.8 mi
37m
Highway 530
23.4 mi
27m
US 425
15.8 mi
20m
US Highway 270
12.4 mi
14m
US 71
10 mi
11m
Wiley A Branton Sr Highway
9.7 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
US 270
— 46.4 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tennessee, AR and Waldron, AR.
1
Start on Tennessee Spur Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Tennessee Spur Road
2
Turn right onto US 278
2.7 mi·4 min·US 278
3
Turn left onto US 425
16 mi·20 min·US 425
4
Turn left onto AR 11
1.7 mi·1 min·Highway 11
5
Turn right onto AR 530
23 mi·27 min·Highway 530
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·38 sec
Toward I 530 North, US 65 North
7
Merge onto I 530; US 63; US 65; US 79
9.7 mi·11 min·Wiley A Branton Sr Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
9
Keep slight left at fork
300 ft·11 sec
10
Turn left onto US 270
32 mi·37 min·Sheridan Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 270
0.2 mi·16 sec·East 3rd Street
12
Continue on US 270
12 mi·14 min·US Highway 270
13
Take the exit onto US 270
1.4 mi·1 min·US 270
14
Take the exit onto US 270
13 mi·15 min·US 270
Toward US 270 West: Hot Springs
15
Take the exit onto US 270
0.3 mi·39 sec·US 270
16
Merge onto US 70; US 270
8.6 mi·9 min·Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·28 sec
18
Turn sharp left onto US 270B
33 mi·37 min·Albert Pike Road
19
Continue on US 270; AR 27
32 mi·39 min·US 270; AR 27
20
At end of road, turn right onto US 71
10 mi·11 min·US 71
21
Turn slight right onto US 71B
3.8 mi·5 min·South Main Street
22
Turn right onto Danville Road
128 ft·5 sec·Danville Road
23
Arrive at destination
Danville Road
Trip Plan
Given the less than four-hour drive time, you can comfortably start this trip anytime in the morning and still have plenty of daylight to reach your destination. There's only one recommended stop, so plan to make it strategically along US 270. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 46.4-mile stretch on US 270, as services might be less frequent there. The $29 fuel estimate should cover your needs for this 200.3-mile trip.
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 100.1 miles from Tennessee, AR, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 46.4 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 44 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.1 miles or 1h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waldron, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tennessee, 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 Tennessee, AR
This is one driving day of about 200.3 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Tennessee, 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 270 for about 46.4 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 43.9 and 122.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
43.9 mi into trip|~54m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 530 North, US 65 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 530 North, US 65 North
5
54.3 mi into trip|~1h 6m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
54.4 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|US 270 / Sheridan Road
Turn left onto US 270 / Sheridan Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
98.8 mi into trip|~1h 58m in|US 270
Take the exit onto US 270
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
122.2 mi into trip|~2h 25m 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
$30.66 one way
$61.32 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.31
$33.96
$67.91
premium
$4.65
$36.66
$73.32
diesel
$6.28
$49.49
$98.98
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: 70.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.1
0
$21.03
$9.61
Efficient EV
50.1
0
$17.53
$8.01
EV Truck/SUV
80.1
1
$28.04
$12.82
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Tennessee, AR
Morning
in Tennessee on Thursday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
ESE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Waldron, AR
Morning
in Waldron on Thursday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
3 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
3h 59m 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.
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...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 117.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 60% of this drive is on highways, with the remaining 40% on surface roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 46.4 miles on US 270, offering a good period of consistent cruising. As you transition from highway to surface roads, be prepared for changes in speed limits and potentially more intersections.
60% 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: 46.4 mi on US 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 43.9 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 200.3 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 43.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 54.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 54.4 miles (US 270 / Sheridan Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Tennessee is a US state in the South known for its rich history, music, and the Appalachian Mountains along its eastern border. Many visitors come to see Elvis Presley's home, Graceland, or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 59m. Total distance: 200.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.4 miles on US 270. 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.
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 Waldron, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 43.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 54.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 54.4 miles (US 270 / Sheridan Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Hot Springs National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Waldron, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
