The drive from Glenwood, AR to Little Rock, AR covers 87.8 miles and takes about 1h 53m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 70, East Grand Avenue, Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.4 miles on US 70.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.26 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.
Midpoint
43.9 miles from Glenwood, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 87.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 53m highway drive covering 87.8 miles, with most of the trip on US 70 and East Grand Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 54.4 miles on US 70.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 54.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 70 and East Grand Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 70B / Broadway Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 87.8 miles you will encounter 13 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 (US 70B / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 27.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.8 miles (US 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 70B / Broadway Street
Turn left onto US 70B / Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
4
27.9 mi into trip|~41m in
Take the ramp toward US 70, US 270 East: Malvern
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 70, US 270 East: Malvern
4
56.8 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|US 70
Keep slight left at fork onto US 70
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
87.6 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|West 7th Street
Turn left onto West 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
87.7 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|State Capitol
Turn right onto State Capitol
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 70
54.4 mi
1h 11m
East Grand Avenue
18.2 mi
22m
Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
10 mi
10m
I 30
1.9 mi
2m
Wilbur D. Mills Freeway
1.4 mi
1m
Broadway Street
0.8 mi
1m
State Capitol
<0.1 mi
<1m
West 7th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 70
— 54.4 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glenwood, AR and Little Rock, AR.
1
Start on North 2nd Street
91 ft·9 sec·North 2nd Street
2
Turn left onto US 70B
0.8 mi·1 min·Broadway Street
3
Turn left onto US 70
27 mi·40 min·US 70
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward US 70, US 270 East: Malvern
5
Merge onto US 70; US 270
10.0 mi·10 min·Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
6
Take the exit onto US 70
0.5 mi·1 min·US 70
7
Merge onto US 70
18 mi·22 min·East Grand Avenue
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 70
27 mi·30 min·US 70
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67
0.7 mi·49 sec·I 30; US 67
10
Continue on I 30; US 65; US 67; US 167
1.2 mi·1 min·I 30; US 65; US 67; US 167
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward I 630
12
Continue on I 630
1.4 mi·1 min·Wilbur D. Mills Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
14
Turn right onto Dr Martin Luther King Drive
188 ft·13 sec·Dr Martin Luther King Drive
15
Turn left onto West 7th Street
408 ft·13 sec·West 7th Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto State Capitol
503 ft·22 sec·State Capitol
17
Turn slight right
260 ft·19 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.9 miles from Glenwood, AR, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.4 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 19 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.9 miles or 1h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Little Rock, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Glenwood, AR so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Glenwood, AR
This is one driving day of about 87.8 miles and 1h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Glenwood, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 70 for about 54.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.9 mi from Glenwood, AR
· 1h into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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 30.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.26 one way
$26.52 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$14.56
$29.11
premium
$4.56
$15.76
$31.52
diesel
$5.61
$19.39
$38.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.3
0
$9.22
$4.21
Efficient EV
22
0
$7.68
$3.51
EV Truck/SUV
35.1
0
$12.29
$5.62
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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
Glenwood, AR
Morning
in Glenwood on Saturday
Local time
10:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Little Rock, AR
Morning
in Little Rock on Saturday
Local time
10:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
5 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 53m 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 Glenwood, AR to Little Rock, AR covers 87.8 miles and takes about 1h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 70, East Grand Avenue, Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.9 miles from Glenwood, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.26 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 87.8 miles you will encounter 13 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 (US 70B / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 27.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.8 miles (US 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Glenwood, AR to Little Rock, AR does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hot Springs National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
