What is the best driving route from little rock to new Orleans?

Answer 1

I have done this trip many times and I have taken a number of different routes. I believe the following route is best because it is equally as fast and less likely to give you problems. The complicated part is between Little Rock and I-55 in Mississippi. Once you reach I-55, then it is a straight shot into New Orleans (although the last 20 miles or so will actually be on I-10 East).

Leave Little Rock and travel south on I-530, which will take you to and around Pine Bluff. I-530 will merge into US-65 which will take you all the way to Lake Village, AR and nearly to the Mississippi River. The good news is that US-65 is almost completely 4-lane now (4-lane is always good when you can get it in the delta regions...it's not uncommon to get caught behind farm equipment and there is no way to pass). Upon reaching Lake Village, you will briefly merge on to US-82, which will take you across the beautiful new Mississippi River bridge and will land you just south of Greenville, MS. Just past the bridge, keep a sharp eye out of MS-454...take this road east which will quickly take you over to MS-1. Turn south on MS-1, and you will then travel south a short distance where you will find MS-438. Turn east on this small road (there is an old plantation home at this intersection). You will then travel east on MS-438 until you reach US-61. Turn south on US-61 and travel less than 10 miles until you reach MS-12 (If you get the feeling you are zigzagging, you are right...more like a checkerboard pattern). Travel east on MS-12 until you reach Belzoni, MS, where you will intersect with US-49E. Turn south and now you are on a beautiful new 4 lane highway that will take you straight to Yazoo City, MS and beyond, until you reach Jackson, MS. At Jackson, you will come to the beltway interstate I-220. You will take a right and head towards I-20 (this is still actually US-49 as well). When you reach I-20, merge east, which will take you toward downtown Jackson, where you will then merge on to I-55 south toward New Orleans. It's easy street from there.

This sounds complicated, especially through the Mississippi delta, but the roads are mostly well-paved and updated, and this route has the least amount of 2-lane exposure (50 miles of 2-lane out of a 450 mile trip), which is to be avoided in the delta, for the reasons I pointed out previously. Also, with this route, you pretty much avoid driving through the center of any small town, and the obligatory tour past the courthouse. There are very few stoplights to slow you down).

One final point...make sure you are traveling through the delta during daylight hours. Since you are traveling through flat farm land, you can see very well, should you want to pass. However, at night, and especially if it's raining...well you can't see very well, and it can be very, very dark. There are very few towns, and very little lighting. Have a great trip!