Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from New Caledonia, AR to Elkins, AR

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 53m

Distance

294.8 mi

474 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 41m ★
6 AM
5h 54m
8 AM
6h 20m
10 AM
6h 3m
12 PM
6h 0m
3 PM
6h 4m
5 PM
6h 18m
8 PM
5h 46m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown New Caledonia, AR, AR

New Caledonia, AR

Dominik Ruhl

city in Arkansas, USA

Elkins, AR

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from New Caledonia, AR to Elkins, AR covers 294.8 miles and takes about 5h 53m 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 mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 118.6 miles on US 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.52 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

147.4 miles from New Caledonia, AR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 57m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 65 118.6 mi 2h
US 167 51.3 mi 1h 1m
Lee Street 35.7 mi 43m
AR 23 24.4 mi 36m
AR 16 19.6 mi 34m
Sheridan Bypass 17.9 mi 20m
Junction City Highway 15 mi 16m
Calion Highway 9.8 mi 12m
Longest stretch: US 65 — 118.6 mi, about 2h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New Caledonia, AR and Elkins, 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 143A Toward I 40 West, US 65 North, AR 107 North: Conway, Fort Smith
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 65

118 mi · 1 hr 59 min · US 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward Ozark, Huntsville
14

Turn right onto AR 23

24 mi · 36 min · AR 23
15

Turn slight left

78 ft · 9 sec
16

Turn left onto AR 16

20 mi · 34 min · AR 16
17

Turn right onto Church Street

155 ft · 6 sec · Church Street
18

Arrive at destination

Church 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 147.4 miles from New Caledonia, AR, or about 2h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.6 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 65 miles or 1h 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 147.4 miles or 2h 57m 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 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elkins, 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 294.8 miles and 5h 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 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 118.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Conway, AR, AR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Conway, AR

147 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

Pine Bluff, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Little Rock, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 147.4 miles from New Caledonia, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 118.6 miles.

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

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Crosswoods Restaurant & Sports Club

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Clarksville, Arkansas

Later in the drive, short detour

1 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately mile 231.7

Hours: 3 pm–12 am

+14797548080

Visit website

The Root Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Little Rock, Arkansas

2.9 mi

Crosswoods Restaurant & Sports Club

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

1 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately mile 231.7

Clarksville, Arkansas

Hours: 3 pm–12 am

+14797548080

Visit website

The Root Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20 mile 126.4

Little Rock, Arkansas

Hours: 8 am–8 pm

+15014140423

Visit website

Rosie's | Pot & Kettle Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour $10 to $20 mile 126.4

Little Rock, Arkansas

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+15017471456

Visit website

Buenos Aires Grill & Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~9 min detour $20 to $30 mile 126.4

Little Rock, Arkansas

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+15019042133

Visit website

Bobby's Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 147.4

North Little Rock, Arkansas

Hours: 6:30 am–7:30 pm

+15018517888

Mike's Café

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 126.4

Little Rock, Arkansas

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+15015621515

Visit website

Reno's Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour $10 to $20 mile 126.4

North Little Rock, Arkansas

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+15013762900

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 132.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

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

5
17.1 mi into trip | ~24m in | US 167

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

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

Toward US 167 North, US 167B South: Fordyce, Li...
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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.52 one way

$89.04 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 103 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $48.87 $97.75
premium $4.56 $52.91 $105.83
diesel $5.61 $65.09 $130.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$45

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 103.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 88.4 1 $30.95 $14.15
Efficient EV 73.7 0 $25.79 $11.79
EV Truck/SUV 117.9 1 $41.27 $18.87

Gas CO2

103 kg

EV CO2

34 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 18, 2026

Origin

New Caledonia, AR

Afternoon in New Caledonia on Saturday

Local time

12:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 5 to 10 mph 8% chance Live forecast

Destination

Elkins, AR

Afternoon in Elkins on Saturday

Local time

12:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

72°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

8 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

5h 53m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

294.8 mi in 5h 53m, mostly highway — 118.6 mi of that is on US 65.

73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.6 mi on US 65.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 65 and US 167. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 294.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 1.8 miles (US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles (US 167): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Elkins, AR, road signs point toward Little Rock, Fort Smith, Ozark and Huntsville.

Little Rock

17.1 mi in | ~24m | via US 167

Fort Smith

131.9 mi in | ~2h 41m | via US 65

Ozark

250.5 mi in | ~4h 42m

Huntsville

250.5 mi in | ~4h 42m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 53m. Total distance: 294.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 118.6 miles on US 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (US 63; US 167 / Junction City Highway): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles (US 167): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 117.2 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.9 hours each way, a round trip means 11.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Elkins, AR before the return drive.

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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Elkins, AR

Little Rock, AR 165.7 mi · 3h 17m

More from New Caledonia, AR

Bella Vista, AR 351.3 mi · 6h 32m Bentonville, AR 342 mi · 6h 20m Fayetteville, AR 317.2 mi · 5h 53m Berryville, AR 296.3 mi · 6h 28m Midway, AR 279 mi · 6h 9m Charleston, AR 273.9 mi · 5h 18m

More trips to Elkins, AR

Pine Bluff, AR 207.9 mi Kentucky, AR 188.5 mi
Overnight trips from New Caledonia, AR Scenic drives in AR

Explore more options from New Caledonia, AR or browse trips ending in Elkins, AR.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AR road trips.