U.S. Highway 165: North Little Rock to England – Arkansas

Our journey begins in North Little Rock at the intersection with U.S. Highway 70, marking the northern terminus of U.S. Highway 165. This area sits just outside the core of the Little Rock metro, and the moment we head southeast, we’re immediately funneled into one of central Arkansas’s quieter corridors. Though surrounded by development, the highway quickly sheds its urban skin. Within moments, we hit the interchange with Interstate 440—a key beltway that loops around Little Rock and serves as a major connector to Clinton National Airport and points east. But instead of following the flow of interstate traffic, we stay on US-165 and continue our drive into the Arkansas Delta.

Just past the I-440 interchange, the landscape begins to open up into the flat, fertile fields typical of the lower Arkansas River Valley. At the small community of Baucum, the road curves gently southeast and the scenery settles into a rhythm of rural Americana. Soon, we pass through Scott, a small town known for its ties to Arkansas’s plantation past. This is also where you’ll find the Plantation Agriculture Museum State Park, which sits just off the highway and offers a well-preserved glimpse into early Delta farming techniques and tools. The area around Scott is also dotted with historic homes and pecan orchards, making it a quiet but meaningful detour if you’re into heritage tourism.

Continuing southeast along U.S. 165, we pass through the quiet crossroads of Hamiter and Toltec. Just before reaching Keo, we cross the junction with Arkansas Highway 386—a short spur that leads directly to Toltec Mounds Archaeological State Park. This prehistoric site preserves one of the largest and most significant Native American mound complexes in the Lower Mississippi Valley and is well worth a side trip if you’re not in a hurry. From there, we continue into Keo, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town that nonetheless hosts a few surprises, including a well-regarded antique store and seasonal produce stands. South of Keo, the road straightens out as it runs through more open farmland, eventually guiding us into the town of England.

Once in England, we follow U.S. 165 onto Fordyce Street, a main drag that cuts through the heart of this small but vital Lonoke County town. With its mix of old storefronts and agricultural service centers, England feels like a living snapshot of small-town Arkansas. At the southern edge of town, we arrive at our endpoint—the intersection with Arkansas Highway 15, where our video concludes and the road beckons further south into the fields of Jefferson County.