Arkansas Highway 365: Little Rock to White Hall

Take a scenic drive down the historic spine of Central Arkansas as we follow Arkansas Highway 365 from the bustling heart of Little Rock to the quieter edges of White Hall. Once part of the original U.S. Highway 65, this 30-mile^* journey predates the interstate era, carrying the echoes of a time when two-lane blacktops were the main arteries of travel through the state. Today, it parallels the faster I-530, but offers a more intimate connection to the landscape, the communities, and the history along its path.

We begin our southbound trip just beyond downtown Little Rock, where AR-365 emerges from the interchange with U.S. 70 near Broadway and Roosevelt Road. Here, the environment is distinctly urban — a blend of brick industrial buildings, warehouse complexes, and rail spurs that speak to the city’s long-standing relationship with river and rail commerce. This early stretch runs in the shadow of the Union Pacific line, a reminder that this corridor has long been a partner to freight movement. Passing through working-class neighborhoods, the road moves past modest storefronts, auto shops, and small diners — the kind of places where locals have gathered for decades.

Crossing Fourche Creek marks a gentle transition in scenery. The density of the city begins to ease as we enter College Station and Sweet Home, communities rooted in deep local heritage. Here, the road is flanked by a patchwork of small houses, open lots, and wooded parcels, with the railroad never far from view. Freight trains can often be seen pacing the highway, a parallel procession that ties the present to the past. Roadside churches and family-owned businesses dot the route, many with hand-painted signs and histories stretching back generations.

South of Sweet Home, the horizon begins to open toward the Arkansas River floodplain. The air feels wider, the land flatter, and the surroundings shift to a mix of farmland, scattered pine groves, and the occasional cattle pasture. In Hensley, the pace slows even more — the main street lined with small-town essentials: a post office, a couple of service stations, and a café or two. Beyond Hensley, the road threads toward the outskirts of Redfield, with occasional glimpses of the river’s influence on the terrain. Here, roadside cemeteries and older farmsteads are reminders that this land has been both worked and lived upon for well over a century.

The final miles carry us into rolling pine forest, a shaded prelude to White Hall. This approach is quieter, with long stretches of roadway lined by trees and fewer interruptions from cross streets. We conclude our journey at the junction with AR-104 just north of town, where AR-365 continues south toward Pine Bluff. While the interstate can whisk you from Little Rock to White Hall in a fraction of the time, this parallel route rewards patience — offering a living narrative of Central Arkansas through its towns, rail lines, and rhythms of daily life.

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