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Trip from Hot Springs, AR to Austin, AR

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 27m

Distance

114.3 mi

184 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 17m ★
6 AM
2h 27m
8 AM
2h 47m
10 AM
2h 34m
12 PM
2h 32m
3 PM
2h 35m
5 PM
2h 46m
8 PM
2h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Hot Springs, AR, AR

Hot Springs, AR

Jimmy Liao

Downtown Austin, AR, AR

Austin, AR

Elsie Soto

Trip Overview

The drive from Hot Springs, AR to Austin, AR covers 114.3 miles and takes about 2h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 70, West Grand Avenue, I 40 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.3 miles on US 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.26 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

57.1 miles from Hot Springs, AR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 27m. Total distance: 114.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 27m highway drive covering 114.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 70 and West Grand Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 31.3 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 31.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 70 and West Grand Avenue. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 42.4 miles in near US 70.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 114.3 miles you will encounter 10 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 42.4 miles (US 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.2 miles (I 40; US 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

8
42.4 mi into trip | ~51m in | US 70

Take the exit onto US 70 toward I 430 North, US 70: Fort Smith

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 129 Toward I 430 North, US 70: Fort Smith
7
55.5 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 40 West: Fort Smith, Oklahoma City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 13B Toward I 40 West: Fort Smith, Oklahoma City
5
56.2 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | I 40; US 65

Merge onto I 40; US 65

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
77.8 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in | US 65

Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 65 North, US 65B South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 65 North, US 65B South
5
97.8 mi into trip | ~1h 57m in | AR 285 / West Main Street

Turn sharp left onto AR 285 / West Main Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

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 Hot Springs, AR to Austin, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Oklahoma City along the way.

Oklahoma City

55.5 mi in | ~1h 6m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 70 31.3 mi 35m
West Grand Avenue 24.2 mi 30m
I 40 21.7 mi 21m
South Broadview Street 11.8 mi 16m
AR 92 6.2 mi 10m
State Highway 9 5.4 mi 9m
West Main Street 4.9 mi 8m
US Highway 65 4.6 mi 6m
Longest stretch: US 70 — 31.3 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hot Springs, AR and Austin, AR.

1

Start on US 70B; US 270B

82 ft · 8 sec · West Grand Avenue
2

Continue on US 70B; US 270B

24 mi · 30 min · West Grand Avenue
3

Keep slight left at fork onto US 70

18 mi · 20 min · US 70
4

Take the exit onto US 70

13 mi · 15 min · US 70
Exit 129 Toward I 430 North, US 70: Fort Smith Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 49 sec
Exit 13B Toward I 40 West: Fort Smith, Oklahoma City
6

Merge onto I 40; US 65

22 mi · 21 min · I 40; US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit onto US 65

0.4 mi · 50 sec · US 65
Toward US 65 North, US 65B South
8

Merge onto US 65

1.3 mi · 2 min · Skyline Drive
9

Continue on US 65

3.2 mi · 4 min · US Highway 65
10

Continue on US 65

12 mi · 16 min · South Broadview Street
11

Continue on US 65

1.5 mi · 1 min · US Highway 65
12

Continue on US 65

0.7 mi · 56 sec · North Broadview Street
13

Continue on US 65

1.1 mi · 1 min · South Broadway
14

Turn sharp left onto AR 285

4.9 mi · 8 min · West Main Street
15

At end of road, turn left onto AR 92

6.2 mi · 10 min · AR 92
16

At end of road, turn right onto AR 9

5.4 mi · 9 min · State Highway 9
17

Turn sharp left onto Austin Road

122 ft · 5 sec · Austin Road
18

Arrive at destination

Austin Road

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 57.1 miles from Hot Springs, AR, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 31.3 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 25 miles or 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 57.1 miles or 1h 8m 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 52m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, AR than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Hot Springs, 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 Hot Springs, AR

This is one driving day of about 114.3 miles and 2h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Hot Springs, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 70 for about 31.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 57.1 mi from Hot Springs, AR · 1h 8m into the drive

Downtown Maumelle, AR, AR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Maumelle, AR

57 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

Haskell, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Maumelle, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 57.1 miles from Hot Springs, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Austin, AR

The final approach into Austin, 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 Austin, AR.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Hot Springs National Park

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...

1 mi from route ~4 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$17.26 one way

$34.52 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 40 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $18.95 $37.90
premium $4.56 $20.52 $41.03
diesel $5.61 $25.24 $50.47

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 40 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 34.3 0 $12.00 $5.49
Efficient EV 28.6 0 $10.00 $4.57
EV Truck/SUV 45.7 0 $16.00 $7.32

Gas CO2

40 kg

EV CO2

13 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

Hot Springs, AR

Afternoon in Hot Springs on Thursday

Local time

2:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Austin, AR

Afternoon in Austin on Thursday

Local time

2:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

2h 27m 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 Hot Springs, AR to Austin, AR covers 114.3 miles and takes about 2h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 70, West Grand Avenue, I 40. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57.1 miles from Hot Springs, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.26 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 114.3 miles you will encounter 10 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 42.4 miles (US 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.2 miles (I 40; US 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Hot Springs, AR to Austin, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Oklahoma City along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Austin, AR to Hot Springs, AR

Plan the drive back the other way.

113.7 mi 2h 25m

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