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Trip from Kentucky, AR to Eureka Springs, AR

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

4h 27m

Distance

221.1 mi

356 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$33

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 14m ★
6 AM
4h 28m
8 AM
4h 54m
10 AM
4h 37m
12 PM
4h 34m
3 PM
4h 38m
5 PM
4h 53m
8 PM
4h 20m

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

Downtown Kentucky, AR, AR

Kentucky, AR

Owen.outdoors

city in Carroll County, Arkansas, USA

Eureka Springs, AR

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Kentucky, AR to Eureka Springs, AR covers 221.1 miles and takes about 4h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 40, AR 23, US 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 112.3 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.39 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

110.6 miles from Kentucky, AR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 59m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 4h 27m highway drive covering 221.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and AR 23. The longest continuous stretch is about 112.3 miles on I 40.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 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 112.3 miles.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,924 ft 278 ft

Total Climb

1,989 ft

Total Descent

1,085 ft

Highest Point

1,924 ft

~173.7 mi in

Elevation Range

1,646 ft

Notable High Points

1,924 ft at ~173.7 miles +596 ft prominence

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and AR 23. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 5.9 miles in.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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 13 key points

These 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
144.2 mi into trip | ~2h 32m in

Take the exit toward Ozark, Huntsville

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

Toward Ozark, Huntsville

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Kentucky, AR and Eureka Springs, AR, road signs point toward Oklahoma City, Ozark and Huntsville.

Oklahoma City

31.2 mi in | ~39m

Ozark

144.2 mi in | ~2h 32m

Huntsville

144.2 mi in | ~2h 32m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 112.3 mi 1h 52m
AR 23 74.5 mi 1h 50m
US 70 13.1 mi 15m
I 30 11.7 mi 12m
Old Hot Springs Highway 5.5 mi 9m
East Van Buren Street 0.7 mi 1m
South Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
North Parrott Drive 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 112.3 mi, about 1h 52m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kentucky, AR and Eureka Springs, 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

112 mi · 1 hr 52 min · I 40; US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward Ozark, Huntsville
11

Turn right onto AR 23

49 mi · 1 hr 12 min · AR 23
12

Turn right onto AR 23

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Lee Street
13

Turn straight onto US 412B; AR 23

434 ft · 7 sec · East Main Street
14

Continue on US 412B; AR 23

0.5 mi · 43 sec · North Parrott Drive
15

Turn slight left onto AR 23

26 mi · 38 min · AR 23
16

At end of road, turn left onto US 62; AR 23

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Van Buren Street
17

Turn right onto AR 23

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
18

Turn right

116 ft · 10 sec
19

Turn right onto 1st Street

106 ft · 7 sec · 1st Street
20

Arrive at destination

1st Street

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 110.6 miles from Kentucky, AR, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.3 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 80 miles or 1h 28m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 110.6 miles or 1h 59m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 28m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Kentucky, 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 Kentucky, AR

This is one driving day of about 221.1 miles and 4h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Kentucky, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 112.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 110.6 mi from Kentucky, AR · 1h 59m into the drive

city in Bowie County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Texarkana, TX

111 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

Texarkana, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Texarkana, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 110.6 miles from Kentucky, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 112.3 miles.

Arriving in Eureka Springs, AR

The final approach into Eureka Springs, 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 Eureka Springs, AR.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$33.39 one way

$66.78 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 77 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $36.66 $73.31
premium $4.56 $39.68 $79.37
diesel $5.61 $48.82 $97.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$33

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$58–$83

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 77.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 66.3 0 $23.22 $10.61
Efficient EV 55.3 0 $19.35 $8.84
EV Truck/SUV 88.4 1 $30.95 $14.15

Gas CO2

77 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 data refreshed 3 hours ago

Origin

Kentucky, AR

Late night in Kentucky on Wednesday

Local time

5:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Eureka Springs, AR

Late night in Eureka Springs on Wednesday

Local time

5:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°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

2 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h 27m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Eureka Springs, AR covers 221.1 miles and takes about 4h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, AR 23, US 70. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 110.6 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 $33.39 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
Between Kentucky, AR and Eureka Springs, AR, road signs point toward Oklahoma City, Ozark and Huntsville.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 278 ft to 1,924 ft elevation with about 1,989 ft of total climbing. There is 1 notable high point along the way.

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