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Trip from New Caledonia, AR to Dardanelle, AR

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 2m

Distance

208.4 mi

335 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 50m ★
6 AM
4h 3m
8 AM
4h 29m
10 AM
4h 12m
12 PM
4h 9m
3 PM
4h 13m
5 PM
4h 28m
8 PM
3h 55m

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

Downtown New Caledonia, AR, AR

New Caledonia, AR

Dominik Ruhl

Downtown Dardanelle, AR, AR

Dardanelle, AR

karl sune

Trip Overview

The drive from New Caledonia, AR to Dardanelle, AR covers 208.4 miles and takes about 4h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Junction City Highway, Barnett Drive, US 167 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.47 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

104.2 miles from New Caledonia, AR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 1m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 2m. Total distance: 208.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 2m 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 4h 2m drive with frequent turns across 208.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Junction City Highway 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 2m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Caledonia, AR to Dardanelle, AR is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Junction City Highway
Barnett Drive
US 167 North
Calion Highway
Lee Street
Sheridan Bypass
I 530 North
I 40 West

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Junction City Highway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New Caledonia, AR and Dardanelle, AR.

1

Start on Caledonia Road

1.8 mi · 6 min · Caledonia Road
2

At the end of the road, turn right onto Junction City Highway

9.0 mi · 10 min · Junction City Highway
3

Continue on Barnett Drive

0.3 mi · 18 sec · Barnett Drive
4

Continue on Junction City Highway

6.1 mi · 6 min · Junction City Highway
5

Take the exit slight right toward US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Little Rock

0.4 mi · 40 sec · US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Little Rock
6

Continue on Calion Highway

9.8 mi · 12 min · Calion Highway
7

Merge slight left onto Lee Street

36 mi · 43 min · Lee Street
8

Turn left

36 mi · 44 min
9

Continue on Sheridan Bypass

18 mi · 20 min · Sheridan Bypass
10

Keep slight left to continue on I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North: Little Rock

15 mi · 16 min · I 530 North, US 65 North, US 167 North: Little Rock
11

Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith

0.3 mi · 36 sec · I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith
12

Keep slight left

69 mi · 1 hr 10 min
13

Take the exit slight right toward AR 331, US 64

0.3 mi · 40 sec · AR 331, US 64
14

Turn left

0.4 mi · 46 sec
15

At the end of the road, turn right onto East Main Street

2.3 mi · 3 min · East Main Street
16

Turn left onto South Arkansas Avenue

4.4 mi · 5 min · South Arkansas Avenue
17

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 104.2 miles from New Caledonia, AR, or about 2h 1m 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 46 miles or 53m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 104.2 miles or 2h 1m 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 19m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dardanelle, 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 208.4 miles and 4h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 104.2 mi from New Caledonia, AR · 2h 1m into the drive

aluminium ore

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bauxite, AR

104 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

Newport, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bauxite, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 104.2 miles from New Caledonia, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Dardanelle, AR

The final approach into Dardanelle, 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 Dardanelle, 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

$31.47 one way

$62.95 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 73 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $34.55 $69.10
premium $4.56 $37.41 $74.81
diesel $5.61 $46.01 $92.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 72.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 62.5 0 $21.88 $10.00
Efficient EV 52.1 0 $18.24 $8.34
EV Truck/SUV 83.4 1 $29.18 $13.34

Gas CO2

73 kg

EV CO2

24 kg (67% 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

New Caledonia, AR

Morning in New Caledonia on Friday

Local time

11:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Dardanelle, AR

Morning in Dardanelle on Friday

Local time

11:43 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

4h 2m 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 New Caledonia, AR to Dardanelle, AR covers 208.4 miles and takes about 4h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Junction City Highway, Barnett Drive, US 167 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 104.2 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 $31.47 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 2m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Caledonia, AR to Dardanelle, AR is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from New Caledonia, AR to Dardanelle, 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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