The drive from New Caledonia, AR to Bull Shoals, AR covers 273.5 miles and takes about 6h 5m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 65, US 167, Lee Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.6 miles on US 65.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.30 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
136.7 miles from New Caledonia, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 47m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 5m. Total distance: 273.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 5m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Drive Character
This is a 6h 5m highway drive covering 273.5 miles, with most of the trip on US 65 and US 167. The longest continuous stretch is about 54.6 miles on US 65.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 65 is the longest continuous segment at about 54.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 65 and US 167. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 273.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway): Navigation decision point; at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 131.9 miles (US 65): 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
1.8 mi into trip|~6m in|US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway
At end of road, turn right onto US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway
Navigation decision point
6
117.2 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167 toward I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North: Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North:...
7
131.9 mi into trip|~2h 41m in|US 65
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65 toward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 143A
Toward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Co...
6
132.1 mi into trip|~2h 42m in|US 65
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
258.6 mi into trip|~5h 41m in|US 62; US 412
At end of road, turn right onto US 62; US 412
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Caledonia, AR and Bull Shoals, AR, road signs point toward Little Rock and Fort Smith.
Little Rock
17.1 mi in|~24m|via US 167
Fort Smith
131.9 mi in|~2h 41m|via US 65
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 65
54.6 mi
1h 6m
US 167
51.3 mi
1h 1m
Lee Street
35.7 mi
43m
State Highway 14
23.5 mi
41m
US Highway 65
23.1 mi
31m
Sheridan Bypass
17.9 mi
20m
Junction City Highway
15 mi
16m
South Broadview Street
11.8 mi
16m
Longest stretch:
US 65
— 54.6 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Caledonia, AR and Bull Shoals, AR.
1
Start on Caledonia Road
1.8 mi·6 min·Caledonia Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 63; US 167
9.0 mi·10 min·Junction City Highway
3
Continue on US 63; US 167; AR 7
0.3 mi·18 sec·Barnett Drive
4
Continue on US 63; US 167; AR 7
6.1 mi·6 min·Junction City Highway
5
Take the exit onto US 167
0.4 mi·40 sec·US 167
Toward US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Little Rock
6
Continue on US 167
9.8 mi·12 min·Calion Highway
7
Merge onto US 167
36 mi·43 min·Lee Street
8
Turn left onto US 167
36 mi·44 min·US 167
9
Continue on US 167
18 mi·20 min·Sheridan Bypass
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167
15 mi·16 min·US 167
Toward I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North: Little Rock
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65
0.3 mi·35 sec·US 65
Exit 143AToward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 65
28 mi·29 min·US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit onto US 65
0.4 mi·50 sec·US 65
Toward US 65 North, US 65B South
14
Merge onto US 65
1.3 mi·2 min·Skyline Drive
15
Continue on US 65
3.2 mi·4 min·US Highway 65
16
Continue on US 65
12 mi·16 min·South Broadview Street
17
Continue on US 65
1.5 mi·1 min·US Highway 65
18
Continue on US 65
0.7 mi·56 sec·North Broadview Street
19
Continue on US 65
1.1 mi·1 min·South Broadway
20
Continue on US 65; Hwy 124
18 mi·25 min·US Highway 65
21
Continue on US 65; AR 9; AR 16
26 mi·36 min·US 65; AR 9; AR 16
22
Take the exit
208 ft·5 sec
23
Turn straight onto AR 27
11 mi·18 min·AR 27
24
Continue on AR 14
24 mi·41 min·State Highway 14
25
At end of road, turn right onto US 62; US 412
4.9 mi·5 min·US 62; US 412
Use the left lane.
26
Turn left onto AR 178
10 mi·17 min·AR 178
Use the left lane.
27
Turn left onto Broadway Avenue
36 ft·1 sec·Broadway Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
Broadway Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 136.7 miles from New Caledonia, AR, or about 2h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.6 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 60 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.7 miles or 2h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 41m
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 New Caledonia, 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 New Caledonia, AR
This is one driving day of about 273.5 miles and 6h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from New Caledonia, 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 US 65 for about 54.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 136.7 mi from New Caledonia, AR
· 2h 47m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.30 one way
$82.61 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$45.34
$90.69
premium
$4.56
$49.09
$98.18
diesel
$5.61
$60.39
$120.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.1
1
$28.72
$13.13
Efficient EV
68.4
0
$23.93
$10.94
EV Truck/SUV
109.4
1
$38.29
$17.50
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
New Caledonia, AR
Morning
in New Caledonia on Saturday
Local time
9:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bull Shoals, AR
Morning
in Bull Shoals on Saturday
Local time
9:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Clinton, AR
137 mi in
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
6h 5m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from New Caledonia, AR to Bull Shoals, AR covers 273.5 miles and takes about 6h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 65, US 167, Lee Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 136.7 miles from New Caledonia, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 273.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway): Navigation decision point; at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 131.9 miles (US 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between New Caledonia, AR and Bull Shoals, AR, road signs point toward Little Rock and Fort Smith.
