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Trip from Pottsville, AR to Hot Springs, AR

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

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

76.2 mi

123 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 37m ★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 48m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m

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

Downtown Pottsville, AR, AR

Pottsville, AR

Andrea Piacquadio

Downtown Hot Springs, AR, AR

Hot Springs, AR

Jimmy Liao

Trip Overview

The drive from Pottsville, AR to Hot Springs, AR covers 76.2 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Arkansas Avenue, Highway 7, AR 7 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.51 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

38.1 miles from Pottsville, AR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Arkansas Avenue
Highway 7
AR 7 South
South Scenic 7 Drive
Park Avenue
Central Avenue
West Grand Avenue

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South Arkansas Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pottsville, AR and Hot Springs, AR.

1

Start on River Road

1.8 mi · 4 min · River Road
2

Turn right

5.3 mi · 9 min
3

At the end of the road, turn left onto South Arkansas Avenue

1.4 mi · 1 min · South Arkansas Avenue
4

At the end of the road, turn left onto North State Highway 7

0.2 mi · 30 sec · North State Highway 7
5

Continue on AR 7 South

14 mi · 16 min · AR 7 South
6

Continue on South Scenic 7 Drive

0.3 mi · 25 sec · South Scenic 7 Drive
7

Turn right

0.2 mi · 18 sec
8

Turn left onto South State Highway 7

45 mi · 50 min · South State Highway 7
9

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Park Avenue

98 ft · 1 sec · Park Avenue
10

Exit the roundabout onto Park Avenue

6.1 mi · 9 min · Park Avenue
11

Continue on Central Avenue

1.1 mi · 1 min · Central Avenue
12

Turn left onto West Grand Avenue

430 ft · 20 sec · West Grand Avenue
13

Continue on West Grand Avenue

348 ft · 13 sec · West Grand Avenue
14

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.1 miles from Pottsville, AR, or about 52m 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 17 miles or 23m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 38.1 miles or 52m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 28m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Pottsville, AR so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Pottsville, AR

This is one driving day of about 76.2 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Pottsville, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Hot Springs Village, AR, AR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hot Springs Village, AR

38 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

Ola, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hot Springs Village, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 38.1 miles from Pottsville, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.51 one way

$23.02 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $12.63 $25.27
premium $4.56 $13.68 $27.35
diesel $5.61 $16.82 $33.65

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 26.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22.9 0 $8.00 $3.66
Efficient EV 19.1 0 $6.67 $3.05
EV Truck/SUV 30.5 0 $10.67 $4.88

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 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

Pottsville, AR

Afternoon in Pottsville on Saturday

Local time

12:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hot Springs, AR

Afternoon in Hot Springs on Saturday

Local time

12:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°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

1 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

1h 44m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

76.2 mi in 1h 44m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: South Arkansas Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Pottsville, AR to Hot Springs, AR is easy. At 1h 44m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 76.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

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

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hot Springs, AR before heading back.

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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