The drive from De Queen, AR to Fayetteville, AR covers 183.5 miles and takes about 3h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 71, North Lakeside Drive, I 49 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.5 miles on US 71.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
91.7 miles from De Queen, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 49m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 34m. Total distance: 183.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 34m highway drive covering 183.5 miles, with most of the trip on US 71 and North Lakeside Drive. The longest continuous stretch is about 86.5 miles on US 71.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 71 is the longest continuous segment at about 86.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 71 and North Lakeside Drive. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 134.2 miles in near US 71.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 183.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 134.2 miles (US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 138.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 179.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
134.2 mi into trip|~2h 39m in|US 71
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71 toward I 40 East: Little Rock, Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 40 East: Little Rock, Memphis
6
138.8 mi into trip|~2h 44m in
Take the exit toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
5
179.8 mi into trip|~3h 26m in
Take the exit toward AR 112, AR 265
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AR 112, AR 265
5
181.9 mi into trip|~3h 30m in|AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Turn right onto AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
182.8 mi into trip|~3h 32m in|South School Avenue
Turn left onto South School Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 De Queen, AR to Fayetteville, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.
Memphis
134.2 mi in|~2h 39m|via US 71
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 71
86.5 mi
1h 42m
North Lakeside Drive
51.2 mi
59m
I 49
40.3 mi
40m
South Razorback Road
1.4 mi
2m
West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
West Collin Raye Drive
0.7 mi
<1m
North 4th Street
0.5 mi
1m
South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 71
— 86.5 mi, about 1h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between De Queen, AR and Fayetteville, AR.
1
Start on West Dequeen Avenue
53 ft·4 sec·West Dequeen Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 4th Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North 4th Street
3
Turn right onto US 70
0.7 mi·52 sec·West Collin Raye Drive
4
Turn left onto US 59; US 71
51 mi·59 min·North Lakeside Drive
5
Continue on US 71; US 270
70 mi·1 hr 23 min·US 71; US 270
6
Take the exit onto US 71
12 mi·14 min·US 71
Toward 540 North
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71
4.6 mi·4 min·US 71
Toward I 40 East: Little Rock, MemphisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 49 North: FayettevilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 49
40 mi·40 min·I 49
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·43 sec
Toward AR 112, AR 265
11
Turn slight right onto AR 265
0.2 mi·23 sec·South Cato Springs Road
12
Continue on South Razorback Road
1.4 mi·2 min·South Razorback Road
13
Turn right onto AR 180
0.9 mi·2 min·West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto South School Avenue
0.1 mi·15 sec·South School Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn slight right onto South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
0.4 mi·52 sec·South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
16
Continue on South College Avenue
0.2 mi·26 sec·South College Avenue
17
Turn right onto East Center Street
147 ft·8 sec·East Center Street
18
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
19
Arrive at destination
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 91.7 miles from De Queen, AR, or about 1h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.5 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 40 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.7 miles or 1h 49m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fayetteville, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving De Queen, 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 De Queen, AR
This is one driving day of about 183.5 miles and 3h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from De Queen, 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 86.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 91.7 mi from De Queen, AR
· 1h 49m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.71 one way
$55.43 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg64 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$30.42
$60.84
premium
$4.56
$32.94
$65.87
diesel
$5.61
$40.51
$81.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
55.1
0
$19.27
$8.81
Efficient EV
45.9
0
$16.06
$7.34
EV Truck/SUV
73.4
0
$25.69
$11.74
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
De Queen, AR
Late night
in De Queen on Friday
Local time
2:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fayetteville, AR
Late night
in Fayetteville on Friday
Local time
2:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Booneville, AR
92 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
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 34m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from De Queen, AR to Fayetteville, AR covers 183.5 miles and takes about 3h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 71, North Lakeside Drive, I 49. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 91.7 miles from De Queen, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.71 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 183.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 134.2 miles (US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 138.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 179.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from De Queen, AR to Fayetteville, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the
methodology page.
