Origin
Fort Smith, AR
Late night in Fort Smith on Friday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
41.8 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paris, AR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 41.8-mile drive from Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR is easily manageable as a day trip, taking just over an hour to complete. You'll be navigating primarily local roads, with a highway share of about 3%, so expect a more hands-on driving experience. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $6, making it an economical option for a quick getaway. Both your starting point in Fort Smith and your destination in Paris are within the Southeast region, so you won't be crossing any major regional boundaries. This route is recommended for a single day of travel.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 41.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (3%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive as you make your way from Fort Smith to Paris. While there's a small highway component, much of this 1-hour, 2-minute journey will be on city streets and local roads, including West Central Avenue, Fort Street, and Rogers Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 31 miles on West Central Avenue. This route's personality is less about wide-open highway cruising and more about engaging with the local road network.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Central Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 31 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near I 540; US 71.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR is easy. At 1h 2m with 3% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (I 540; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 41.8 miles (AR 309 / South Elm Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
3 of 3 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 540; US 71
Merge onto I 540; US 71
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
3.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward Rogers Avenue East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Rogers Avenue East
4
41.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
AR 309 / South Elm Street
Turn right onto AR 309 / South Elm Street
Navigation decision point
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 Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Rogers Avenue East along the way.
Rogers Avenue East
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Central Avenue | 31 mi | 46m |
| Fort Street | 4 mi | 6m |
| Rogers Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Grand Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| I 540 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| South Elm Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Central Avenue
— 31 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Smith, AR and Paris, AR.
1
Start on Grand Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Grand Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
3
Merge onto I 540; US 71
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 540; US 71
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Rogers Avenue East
5
Turn straight onto AR 22
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Rogers Avenue
6
Continue on AR 22
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Fort Street
7
Continue on AR 22
31 mi
·
46 min
·
West Central Avenue
8
Turn right onto AR 309
34 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Elm Street
9
Arrive at destination
AR 309
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.9 mi from Fort Smith, AR · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Fort Smith, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Paris, AR
The final approach into Paris, AR usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.31 one way
$12.63 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $6.93 | $13.86 |
| premium | $4.56 | $7.50 | $15.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.23 | $18.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $2.68 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Paris, AR
Late night in Paris on Friday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
1h 2m 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 Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR covers 41.8 miles and takes about 1h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Central Avenue, Fort Street, Rogers Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.9 miles from Fort Smith, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.31 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR is easy. At 1h 2m with 3% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (I 540; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 41.8 miles (AR 309 / South Elm Street): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Fort Smith, AR to Paris, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Rogers Avenue East along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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