How far is Fort Smith, AR from Lake Jackson, TX?

The driving distance from Fort Smith, AR to Lake Jackson, TX is about 514.7 miles (828.3 km), with a travel time of about 10h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 443 miles (713 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 20h 23m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
514.66 mi
10h 11m
Flight
443.03 mi
712.99 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fort Smith.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
443.03 mi
Kilometers
712.99 km
Flight Time
00h 53m

Driving Distance

Road route
514.66 mi
Kilometers
828.26 km
Drive Time
10h 11m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 10h 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake Jackson
Thu, Oct 15, 11:46 PM CDT
Return by in Fort Smith
Fri, Oct 16, 9:58 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Smith
2026-10-15T13:35
Arrive Lake Jackson
Thu, Oct 15, 11:46 PM CDT
Route Timing
10h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:12 PM to 5:42 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
3:36 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Smith
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Beckville
TX

City in Panola County, Texas, United States

From Fort Smith
257 mi
05h 05m
To Lake Jackson
257.7 mi
05h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Today

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW
Destination
89°F
This Afternoon

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 12:00 PM CDT
Wind
10 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Smith and Lake Jackson.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Smith and Lake Jackson.

  1. 1

    Start on Grand Avenue

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Grand Avenue

  2. 2

    Take the ramp slight right

    1540 ft · 38 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight left

    5.2 mi · 6 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward US 71 South: Texarkana

    1749 ft · 45 sec

  5. 5

    Turn left

    128.5 mi · 2 hr 35 min

  6. 6

    Continue on State Highway 24/State Highway 41

    1.8 mi · 3 min · State Highway 24/State Highway 41

  7. 7

    Continue on State Highway 41/West Main Street

    29.5 mi · 44 min · State Highway 41/West Main Street

  8. 8

    Continue on North State Highway 8

    6.4 mi · 7 min · North State Highway 8

  9. 9

    Continue on North McCoy Boulevard

    11.1 mi · 17 min · North McCoy Boulevard

  10. 10

    Turn left

    2.8 mi · 3 min

  11. 11

    Turn slight right onto Houston Drive

    8.9 mi · 12 min · Houston Drive

  12. 12

    Continue on North Street

    2.7 mi · 3 min · North Street

  13. 13

    Continue on State Highway 8

    12.5 mi · 14 min · State Highway 8

  14. 14

    Merge slight right

    119 m · 5 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right

    57.8 mi · 1 hr 4 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit right

    1287 ft · 35 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Northwest Loop

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Northwest Loop

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right

    1264 ft · 18 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight right

    78 m · 7 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right

    24.8 mi · 26 min

  21. 21

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North Railroad Avenue

    2.6 mi · 3 min · North Railroad Avenue

  22. 22

    Continue on US Route 259

    3 mi · 3 min · US Route 259

  23. 23

    Continue on US Highway 259

    11.2 mi · 13 min · US Highway 259

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward US 59 South: Lufkin

    68 m · 6 sec

  25. 25

    Continue straight

    128 m · 12 sec

  26. 26

    Continue straight

    556 ft · 16 sec

  27. 27

    Turn left

    32 m · 4 sec

  28. 28

    Turn right onto North US Highway 59

    1.1 km · 48 sec · North US Highway 59

  29. 29

    Continue on Northwest Stallings Drive

    6.4 mi · 7 min · Northwest Stallings Drive

  30. 30

    Continue on Stallings Drive

    2015 ft · 26 sec · Stallings Drive

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right

    919 ft · 25 sec

  32. 32

    Turn straight

    68 m · 6 sec

  33. 33

    Merge slight left onto South Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · South Street

  34. 34

    Continue on South US Highway 59

    19.4 mi · 22 min · South US Highway 59

  35. 35

    Take the exit slight right toward South First Street

    121 m · 10 sec

  36. 36

    Turn straight onto South Medford Drive

    1041 ft · 23 sec · South Medford Drive

  37. 37

    Turn left onto South First Street

    4.1 mi · 5 min · South First Street

  38. 38

    Continue on US 59

    1.3 mi · 2 min · US 59

  39. 39

    Continue on Diboll Relief Route

    113.5 mi · 2 hr 5 min · Diboll Relief Route

  40. 40

    Continue on Southwest Freeway

    3241 ft · 46 sec · Southwest Freeway

  41. 41

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 288 South: Lake Jackson, Freeport

    2915 ft · 1 min

  42. 42

    Continue on South Freeway

    1 km · 47 sec · South Freeway

  43. 43

    Keep slight left

    14.4 mi · 17 min

  44. 44

    Merge slight right onto South Freeway

    1312 ft · 17 sec · South Freeway

  45. 45

    Continue on Nolan Ryan Expressway

    33.8 mi · 40 min · Nolan Ryan Expressway

  46. 46

    Take the exit slight right

    643 ft · 16 sec

  47. 47

    Turn straight onto State Highway 332 East

    667 ft · 15 sec · State Highway 332 East

  48. 48

    Turn left onto Oak Drive

    1076 ft · 29 sec · Oak Drive

  49. 49

    Turn slight right

    43 m · 6 sec

  50. 50

    Turn slight right onto Circle Way

    1173 ft · 34 sec · Circle Way

  51. 51

    Turn right onto Center Way

    1.2 km · 2 min · Center Way

  52. 52

    Turn right onto Magnolia Street

    16 m · 2 sec · Magnolia Street

  53. 53

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Magnolia Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Smith and Lake Jackson.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
53 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
14
5 merges, 9 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Diboll Relief Route
114 mi · 22%
Nolan Ryan Expressway
33.9 mi · 7%
State Highway 41/West Main Street
29.5 mi · 6%
South US Highway 59
19.4 mi · 4%
South Freeway
15.3 mi · 3%
State Highway 8
12.8 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Longest stretch

Turn left

128 mi · 02h 35m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
10h 11m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
20h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+71.7 mi
443 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Beckville
05h 05m from Fort Smith
Leave By
3:36 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Fort Smith and Chance Rain Showers near Lake Jackson.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Smith to Lake Jackson?

The road trip is about 514.7 miles (828.3 km) and usually takes 10h 11m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Beckville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 257 miles from Fort Smith and 257.7 miles from Lake Jackson.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 443 miles (713 km), while the road route adds roughly 71.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $71.68 one way or $143.36 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 161.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Fort Smith and Chance Rain Showers near Lake Jackson.

Stop Ideas Near Beckville

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Beckville, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Beckville.

RAIL

Marshall

35 mi away
800 North Washington Street - suite 2
RAIL

Longview

38 mi away
905 Pacific Ave.
BUS

Nacogdoches, Texas

72 mi away
University Drive & Starr Road
BUS

Shreveport, Louisiana

73 mi away
451 Clyde Fant Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Smith and Lake Jackson. Straight-line distance: 443.03 mi (712.99 km).

Fort Smith

#1 Fort Smith

The second most populous city in Sebastian County, Arkansas.

Population87,764
Coordinates35.3859200, -94.3985500
Altitude134
CountryUnited States
Lake Jackson

#2 Lake Jackson

City in Brazoria County, Texas, United States

Population27,063
Coordinates29.0338600, -95.4343900
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Smith (-94.39855, 35.38592)
End: Lake Jackson (-95.43439, 29.03386)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 828 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)17h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 25m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
18.16 gal
68.75 L · about $71.68
Round trip
$143.36
36.32 gal · 137.5 L
Estimated CO2
161.4 kg one way
Round trip: 322.8 kg / 712 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $71.68 $143.36
Mid-grade $4.44 $80.65 $161.30
Premium $4.83 $87.62 $175.24
Diesel $5.92 $107.47 $214.94

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Arkansas · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Smith and Lake Jackson. The current time is 13:35:06.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.