How far is Lexington, KY from Fort Smith, AR?

The driving distance from Lexington, KY to Fort Smith, AR is about 692 miles (1113.6 km), with a travel time of about 12h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 578 miles (930.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 25h 23m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
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
691.98 mi
12h 41m
Flight
577.99 mi
930.19 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lexington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
577.99 mi
Kilometers
930.19 km
Flight Time
01h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
691.98 mi
Kilometers
1113.64 km
Drive Time
12h 41m

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 12h 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fort Smith
Fri, Jul 10, 12:21 AM CDT
Return by in Lexington
Fri, Jul 10, 2:03 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lexington
2026-07-09T12:39
Arrive Fort Smith
Fri, Jul 10, 1:21 AM EDT
Route Timing
12h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
5:42 PM to 7:12 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
10:36 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lexington
8:00 PM EDT
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
Dyersburg
TN

City and the county seat of Dyer County, Tennessee, United States

From Lexington
345.7 mi
06h 20m
To Fort Smith
346.4 mi
06h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
87°F
Thursday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jul 9 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph SW
Destination
98°F
Thursday

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jul 9 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington and Fort Smith.

  1. 1

    Start on Coldstream Drive

    80 m · 12 sec · Coldstream Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Gainesway Drive

    1 mi · 2 min · Gainesway Drive

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Tates Creek Road

    1507 ft · 35 sec · Tates Creek Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto KY 4 West: New Circle Road

    2026 ft · 49 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto New Circle Road

    5.8 mi · 8 min · New Circle Road

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1568 ft · 38 sec

  7. 7

    Continue on Versailles Road

    4.7 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 61 South: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on US 31W: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway West

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  17. 17

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  18. 18

    Merge slight left

    37.4 mi · 40 min

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West, I 69 South: Paducah

    16.2 mi · 18 min

  20. 20

    Keep slight left

    51.9 mi · 56 min

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward Union City, Memphis

    1149 ft · 25 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Martin

    58 m · 6 sec

  23. 23

    Turn right

    146 m · 6 sec

  24. 24

    Continue straight

    4.8 mi · 5 min

  25. 25

    Continue straight

    10.6 mi · 12 min

  26. 26

    Turn right

    43 m · 5 sec

  27. 27

    Merge slight left onto West Reelfoot Boulevard

    27.8 mi · 32 min · West Reelfoot Boulevard

  28. 28

    Continue on Saint Louis

    29.5 mi · 32 min

  29. 29

    Continue straight

    13.6 mi · 16 min

  30. 30

    Turn left

    1.4 mi · 2 min

  31. 31

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward the route

    78 m · 3 sec

  32. 32

    Exit the roundabout

    56.2 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  33. 33

    Take the exit left

    94.7 mi · 1 hr 39 min

  34. 34

    Take the exit slight right toward US 64 West, I 57 Business North: Beebe, Conway

    2037 ft · 50 sec

  35. 35

    Keep slight right to continue on US 64 West: Conway

    32.6 mi · 42 min

  36. 36

    Take the exit straight

    2355 ft · 57 sec

  37. 37

    Merge slight left

    118.6 mi · 1 hr 59 min

  38. 38

    Take the exit slight right toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith

    6.5 mi · 8 min

  39. 39

    Take the exit slight right toward Grand Avenue

    1259 ft · 34 sec

  40. 40

    Turn right onto Grand Avenue

    1.9 mi · 4 min · Grand Avenue

  41. 41

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Grand Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
41 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
17
6 merges, 11 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Saint Louis
194 mi · 28%
US 64 West
152 mi · 22%
Western Kentucky Parkway
136 mi · 20%
Bluegrass Parkway
72.7 mi · 11%
I 24 West
68.1 mi · 10%
West Reelfoot Boulevard
27.8 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

US 64 West

Merge slight left

119 mi · 01h 59m

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
12h 41m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
25h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+114 mi
578 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Dyersburg
06h 20m from Lexington
Leave By
10:36 AM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lexington and Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Fort Smith.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lexington to Fort Smith?

The road trip is about 692 miles (1113.6 km) and usually takes 12h 41m 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?

Dyersburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 345.7 miles from Lexington and 346.4 miles from Fort Smith.

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

The direct path is about 578 miles (930.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 114 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 EDT. 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 $92.09 one way or $184.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 217 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Lexington and Fort Smith, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lexington and Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Fort Smith.

Stop Ideas Near Dyersburg

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Dyersburg, 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 Dyersburg.

RAIL

Newbern–Dyersburg

14 mi away
108 Jefferson St
RAIL

Fulton

70 mi away
21 Newton Rd.
RAIL

Central Station

117 mi away
Central Station

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lexington and Fort Smith. Straight-line distance: 577.99 mi (930.19 km).

Lexington

#1 Lexington

The second most populous city in Kentucky.

Population225,366
Coordinates37.9886900, -84.4777200
Altitude295
CountryUnited States
Fort Smith

#2 Fort Smith

The second most populous city in Sebastian County, Arkansas.

Population87,764
Coordinates35.3859200, -94.3985500
Altitude134
CountryUnited States
Start: Lexington (-84.47772, 37.98869)
End: Fort Smith (-94.39855, 35.38592)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1114 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)23h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)17h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)13h 50m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)11h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)09h 53m
80 mph (129 km/h)08h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
24.42 gal
92.43 L · about $92.09
Round trip
$184.18
48.84 gal · 184.86 L
Estimated CO2
217 kg one way
Round trip: 434 kg / 957 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $92.09 $184.18
Mid-grade $4.25 $103.86 $207.72
Premium $4.65 $113.65 $227.30
Diesel $5.30 $129.52 $259.05

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 Kentucky · Jul 09, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Lexington, KY and Fort Smith, AR. The current time in Lexington is 12:39:45, although it is 11:39:45 in Fort Smith.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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