Origin
Waldo, AR
Afternoon in Waldo on Sunday
Local time
3:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waldo, AR to Fort Smith, AR
Drive Time
4h 23m
Distance
230.4 mi
371 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 10m
★
6 AM
4h 23m
8 AM
4h 50m
10 AM
4h 33m
12 PM
4h 30m
3 PM
4h 34m
5 PM
4h 49m
8 PM
4h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waldo, AR
. sommeil
Trip Overview
The drive from Waldo, AR to Fort Smith, AR covers 230.4 miles and takes about 4h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Rosston Highway, Rosston Road, West 1st Street South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $35.22 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
115.2 miles from Waldo, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 11m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 23m drive with frequent turns across 230.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Rosston 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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 23m 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 Waldo, AR to Fort Smith, AR is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rosston Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Rosston Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West 1st Street South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| AR 7 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Valley Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Higdon Ferry Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Doctor Martin Luther King | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Rosston Highway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waldo, AR and Fort Smith, AR.
1
Start on East McKissack
79 ft
·
3 sec
·
East McKissack
2
Turn right
18 mi
·
26 min
3
Turn right onto Rosston Highway
16 mi
·
23 min
·
Rosston Highway
4
Continue on Rosston Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Rosston Road
5
At the end of the road, turn left onto West 1st Street South
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
West 1st Street South
6
Turn left onto West Main Street
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Main Street
7
Take the ramp right
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
8
Merge slight left
31 mi
·
31 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward AR 7: Caddo Valley, Hot Springs
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
AR 7: Caddo Valley, Hot Springs
10
Continue on Valley Street
26 mi
·
29 min
·
Valley Street
11
Turn left onto Higdon Ferry Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Higdon Ferry Road
12
Take the ramp left
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
13
Merge slight left onto Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
3.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Expressway
14
Keep slight right
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
15
Turn sharp left onto Albert Pike Road
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Albert Pike Road
16
Continue straight
32 mi
·
39 min
17
At the end of the road, turn right
54 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
18
Take the exit slight right toward 540 North
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
540 North
19
Take the exit slight right toward Greenwood Road
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Greenwood Road
20
Turn left onto Old Greenwood Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Greenwood Road
21
Continue on South 31st Street
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
South 31st Street
22
Continue on Old Greenwood Road
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Old Greenwood Road
23
Turn left onto Rogers Avenue
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Rogers Avenue
24
Turn right onto North Greenwood Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Greenwood Avenue
25
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Grand Avenue
26
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 115.2 miles from Waldo, AR, or about 2h 11m 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 80 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.2 miles or 2h 11m 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Smith, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waldo, 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 Waldo, AR
This is one driving day of about 230.4 miles and 4h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Waldo, 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 115.2 mi from Waldo, AR · 2h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
115 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 115.2 miles from Waldo, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fort Smith, AR
The final approach into Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith, 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
$35.22 one way
$70.44 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
81 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.26 | $38.63 | $77.27 |
| premium | $4.61 | $41.82 | $83.63 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $51.19 | $102.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 69.1 | 0 | $24.19 | $11.06 |
| Efficient EV | 57.6 | 0 | $20.16 | $9.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 92.2 | 1 | $32.26 | $14.75 |
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Fort Smith, AR
Afternoon in Fort Smith on Sunday
Local time
3:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
4 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 23m 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 Waldo, AR to Fort Smith, AR covers 230.4 miles and takes about 4h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Rosston Highway, Rosston Road, West 1st Street South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 115.2 miles from Waldo, AR. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.22 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 23m 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 Waldo, AR to Fort Smith, AR is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Waldo, AR to Fort Smith, AR does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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