Origin
Bentonville, AR
Afternoon in Bentonville on Sunday
Local time
2:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bentonville, AR to Lake Hamilton, AR
Drive Time
4h 2m
Distance
221.2 mi
356 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
Bentonville, AR
Tima Miroshnichenko
Lake Hamilton, AR
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
The drive from Bentonville, AR to Lake Hamilton, AR covers 221.2 miles and takes about 4h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 49, I 40, South State Highway 7 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 65.7 miles on I 49. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.82 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
110.6 miles from Bentonville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 56m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 4h 2m highway drive covering 221.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 49 and I 40. The longest continuous stretch is about 65.7 miles on I 49.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 49 is the longest continuous segment at about 65.7 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,273 ft
321 ft
Total Climb
541 ft
Total Descent
1,490 ft
Highest Point
1,273 ft
~27.7 mi in
Elevation Range
952 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and I 40. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Central Avenue.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 221.2 miles you will encounter 16 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 (East Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Southeast J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Central Avenue
Turn left onto East Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Southeast J Street
Turn right onto Southeast J Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street
Turn left onto AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
68.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m 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
216.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from Bentonville, AR to Lake Hamilton, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
Little Rock
68.7 mi in
|
~1h 14m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 49 | 65.7 mi | 1h 8m |
| I 40 | 64.9 mi | 1h 4m |
| South State Highway 7 | 44.8 mi | 50m |
| AR 7 South | 14.4 mi | 16m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway | 6.5 mi | 6m |
| Hot Springs Bypass | 6.1 mi | 6m |
| South Arkansas Avenue | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Central Avenue | 4.4 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
I 49
— 65.7 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bentonville, AR and Lake Hamilton, AR.
1
Start on North Main Street
185 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto East Central Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East Central Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto Southeast J Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast J Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto AR 102
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp onto US 62; AR 12
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
US 62; AR 12
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on I 49; US 62; US 71; AR 12
66 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
I 49; US 62; US 71; AR 12
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
8
Merge onto I 40; US 71
65 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
I 40; US 71
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 78
Toward US 64
10
Turn left onto US 64
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 64
11
Continue on US 64; Hwy 326
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
12
Turn right onto AR 7
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
South Arkansas Avenue
13
At end of road, turn left onto AR 7
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North State Highway 7
14
Continue on AR 7
14 mi
·
16 min
·
AR 7 South
15
Continue on AR 7; AR 10
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Scenic 7 Drive
16
Turn right onto AR 7
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
AR 7
17
Turn left onto AR 7
45 mi
·
50 min
·
South State Highway 7
18
Enter roundabout onto Hot Springs Bypass
222 ft
·
2 sec
·
Hot Springs Bypass
19
Continue on Hot Springs Bypass
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Hot Springs Bypass
20
Merge onto US 70
6.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
21
Take the exit
336 ft
·
8 sec
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
23
Continue on AR 7
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Central Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
AR 7
Trip Plan
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 110.6 miles from Bentonville, AR, or about 1h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.7 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 80 miles or 1h 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.6 miles or 1h 56m 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 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Hamilton, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bentonville, 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 Bentonville, AR
This is one driving day of about 221.2 miles and 4h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bentonville, 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 49 for about 65.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 110.6 mi from Bentonville, AR · 1h 56m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
111 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 110.6 miles from Bentonville, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 49 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 65.7 miles.
Arriving in Lake Hamilton, AR
The final approach into Lake Hamilton, AR usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Lake Hamilton, AR.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.82 one way
$67.63 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
77 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.26 | $37.09 | $74.18 |
| premium | $4.61 | $40.15 | $80.29 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $49.14 | $98.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 66.4 | 0 | $23.23 | $10.62 |
| Efficient EV | 55.3 | 0 | $19.35 | $8.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 88.5 | 1 | $30.97 | $14.16 |
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 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.
Destination
Lake Hamilton, AR
Afternoon in Lake Hamilton on Sunday
Local time
2:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph
4% chance
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
11 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 2m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bentonville, AR to Lake Hamilton, AR covers 221.2 miles and takes about 4h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 49, I 40, South State Highway 7. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 110.6 miles from Bentonville, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 221.2 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Southeast J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (AR 102 / Southeast 14th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Bentonville, AR to Lake Hamilton, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 321 ft to 1,273 ft elevation with about 541 ft of total climbing.
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