Origin
Kentucky, AR
Morning in Kentucky on Friday
Local time
7:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kentucky, AR to Conway, AR
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
53.6 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kentucky, AR
Owen.outdoors
Conway, AR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 53.6 miles across Arkansas, this trip between Kentucky and Conway is a straightforward journey typically taking about 1 hour and 4 minutes. You will navigate via I-30, I-430 North, and I-40 West to reach your destination. Because the distance is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel should cover your needs for this one-way transit. Both the origin and destination are located within the Southeast region, keeping the cultural and geographical feel consistent throughout your time on the road.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 53.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route lacks any extended highway stretches. In fact, the longest uninterrupted stretch on I-30 is 0 miles, meaning you will be navigating transitions frequently. With 0% of the route categorized as highway-share, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience compared to a high-speed freeway trek. The character of the road demands your attention as you shift between these specific interstate segments, offering a dynamic pace that keeps you engaged behind the wheel.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 20.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 70. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 5.9 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 18.1 miles (US 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
5.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
18.1 mi into trip
|
~24m 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
31.2 mi into trip
|
~39m 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
31.9 mi into trip
|
~40m 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
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
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 Kentucky, AR to Conway, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Oklahoma City along the way.
Oklahoma City
31.2 mi in
|
~39m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 20.1 mi | 20m |
| US 70 | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| I 30 | 11.7 mi | 12m |
| Old Hot Springs Highway | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| East Oak Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| AR 35 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Oak Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I-30 Frontage Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 20.1 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kentucky, AR and Conway, AR.
1
Start on AR 5
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Old Hot Springs Highway
2
Continue on AR 35
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
AR 35
3
Turn sharp left
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
4
Turn straight onto AR 5
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
I-30 Frontage Road
5
Take the ramp
516 ft
·
12 sec
6
Merge onto I 30; US 67; US 70
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 30; US 67; US 70
7
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.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 13B
Toward I 40 West: Fort Smith, Oklahoma City
9
Merge onto I 40; US 65
20 mi
·
20 min
·
I 40; US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 64
11
Keep slight left at fork
271 ft
·
8 sec
12
Turn left onto US 64
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Oak Street
13
Keep slight left at fork onto Oak Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Oak Street
14
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
497 ft
·
19 sec
·
Locust Avenue
15
Turn left onto Main Street
104 ft
·
4 sec
·
Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.8 mi from Kentucky, AR · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Kentucky, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Conway, AR
The final approach into Conway, 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
$8.09 one way
$16.19 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $8.89 | $17.77 |
| premium | $4.56 | $9.62 | $19.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Conway, AR
Morning in Conway on Friday
Local time
7:43 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 4m 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 Kentucky, AR to Conway, AR covers 53.6 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, US 70, I 30. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.8 miles from Kentucky, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.09 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 53.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 5.9 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 18.1 miles (US 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Kentucky, AR to Conway, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Oklahoma City along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hot Springs National Park.
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. National park proximity is from the NPS API. 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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