Memphis to Fort Smith AR drive: Distance, time and best stops
The distance from Memphis to Fort Smith AR by car is 287 miles, with a 4h7m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Memphis to Fort Smith drive are Village Creek State Park, Little Rock AR and Mount Magazine State Park.
Planning a Memphis to Fort Smith road trip itinerary
The Memphis to Fort Smith drive takes you from Tennessee’s western edge to the far west of Arkansas.
Memphis, Tennessee, is a pilgrimage site for Elvis fans. The King’s Graceland mansion is one of the top tourist sites in the US. But the cultural heritage extends beyond music, as you’ll discover on an African-American history tour.
Try the Rock and Soul Museum, plus the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the 19th century Woodruff-Fontaine House.
Ways of seeing the city include ghost walks, Downtown food tours and musical bus tours. There are also guided walks down music central, Beale Street, and city tours that take you inside the legendary Sun Studios.
The Fort Smith National Historic site is the key highlight of the Arkansas city that bears its name. The original fort was built in 1817 as a military post. It played a major part in the removal of Native American tribes from east of the Mississippi to new territories in the west. This Trail of Tears is a major part of the visitor centre, but there’s also plenty on ‘hanging judge’ Isaac Parker, who sentenced more than 160 people to death from the Fort Smith Courthouse.
Other Fort Smith attractions include Miss Laura’s Visitor Center – a former bordello that looks at the area’s more colourful Old West history. There’s also the US Marshals Museum, detailing the history of the US Marshals, and the Parrot Island Water Park.
Memphis to Fort Smith distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Memphis to Fort Smith is 287 miles. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and seven minutes. The quickest route is along the I-40.
The best stops to add to a Memphis to Fort Smith road trip itinerary are Village Creek State Park, Little Rock AR and Mount Magazine State Park.
Memphis to Fort Smith AR road trip attractions: Village Creek State Park
For many, Village Creek State Park is all about the 27 hole golf course, the Ridges at Village Creek. But non-golfers have plenty to keep them occupied amid 7,000 acres of clear streams and tree-covered hillsides.
The walking trails include the most intact section of the Trail of Tears. This was the path followed by Native American tribes as they were forced from their homelands to what is now Oklahoma. The Cherokee, Choctaws, Creeks and Chicktaws all followed this path.
Best stops between Memphis and Fort Smith AR: Little Rock AR
Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas, and the closest thing the state has to a metropolis.
Key experiences in Little Rock include the Museum of Discovery and the William J Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. The latter, as with most presidential libraries, acts as a fascinating insight not just into the president, but the era he was in charge for.
Of Little Rock’s hotels, the Capital Hotel provides most historic glamour and the Residence Inn Little Rock Downtown is great value.
- For more suggestions of where to stop, check out the guide to the Memphis to Little Rock drive.
Memphis to Fort Smith drive: Mount Magazine State Park
Mount Magazine State Park is much beloved by technical rock climbers. But even for non-climbers, the views around 2,753-ft Mount Magazine are pretty impressive.
Surrounded by the Ozark-St Francis National Forests, the park has become a big outdoor pursuits hotbed. Mountain biking, horseback riding and hang-gliding are among the options, as well as several hiking trails. The Lodge at Mount Magazine is a good option if you want to stay and play.
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