Origin
Jonesboro, AR
Morning in Jonesboro on Saturday
Local time
11:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 8m
Distance
141.7 mi
228 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 57m
★
6 AM
3h 9m
8 AM
3h 32m
10 AM
3h 17m
12 PM
3h 15m
3 PM
3h 18m
5 PM
3h 31m
8 PM
3h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bull Shoals, AR
Connor Scott McManus
Trip Overview
The drive from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR covers 141.7 miles and takes about 3h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cate Avenue, South Main Street, West Johnson Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.40 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
70.8 miles from Jonesboro, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Bull Shoals, AR
Full guide →Bull Shoals is in the Ozarks region of Arkansas. Located on the shore of Bull Shoals Lake, it's a resort town with a lot to offer.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 8m. Total distance: 141.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 8m drive with frequent turns across 141.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cate Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR is easy. At 3h 8m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cate Avenue | — | — |
| South Main Street | — | — |
| West Johnson Avenue | — | — |
| North Gee Street | — | — |
| Dan Avenue | — | — |
| T & C Boulevard | — | — |
| Broadway Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Cate Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jonesboro, AR and Bull Shoals, AR.
1
Start on the route
75 ft
·
7 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto Cate Avenue
207 ft
·
12 sec
·
Cate Avenue
3
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Main Street
4
Turn left onto West Johnson Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Johnson Avenue
5
Continue on North Gee Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Gee Street
6
Continue on Dan Avenue
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Avenue
7
Take the ramp slight right
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
8
Merge slight left
57 mi
·
1 hr 16 min
9
Turn right
436 ft
·
6 sec
10
Continue straight
1.4 mi
·
1 min
11
Continue straight
413 ft
·
14 sec
12
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
13
Take the exit slight right
364 ft
·
10 sec
14
Merge slight left
10 mi
·
11 min
15
Continue on T & C Boulevard
50 mi
·
56 min
·
T & C Boulevard
16
Continue straight
3.1 mi
·
4 min
17
Turn right
6.2 mi
·
10 min
18
Turn left
9.3 mi
·
16 min
19
Turn right onto Broadway Avenue
36 ft
·
2 sec
·
Broadway Avenue
20
Arrive at your 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 70.8 miles from Jonesboro, AR, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
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 31 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.8 miles or 1h 34m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bull Shoals, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jonesboro, 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 Jonesboro, AR
This is one driving day of about 141.7 miles and 3h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Jonesboro, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 70.8 mi from Jonesboro, AR · 1h 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
71 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 70.8 miles from Jonesboro, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bull Shoals, AR
The final approach into Bull Shoals, 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 Bull Shoals, 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
$21.40 one way
$42.80 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
50 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $23.49 | $46.98 |
| premium | $4.56 | $25.43 | $50.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $31.29 | $62.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 49.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 42.5 | 0 | $14.88 | $6.80 |
| Efficient EV | 35.4 | 0 | $12.40 | $5.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 56.7 | 0 | $19.84 | $9.07 |
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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
Bull Shoals, AR
Morning in Bull Shoals on Saturday
Local time
11:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
3h 8m 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 Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR covers 141.7 miles and takes about 3h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cate Avenue, South Main Street, West Johnson Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 70.8 miles from Jonesboro, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.40 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.
The drive from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR is easy. At 3h 8m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Jonesboro, AR to Bull Shoals, AR does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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