# Arkansas Highway 72

Arkansas Highway 72 (AR 72) is a designation for two east–west state highways in Benton County, Arkansas. One segment of 26.32 miles (42.36 km) runs from Highway 43 at Maysville east to Walton Boulevard in Bentonville. A second segment of 12.67 miles (20.39 km) runs from Interstate 49 (I-49) in Bentonville east to U.S. Route 62 (US 62) north of Avoca. The route is one of the original Arkansas state highways.

## Route description
### Maysville to Bentonville

The route begins at Highway 43 in Maysville and runs east to Gravette. Highway 72 intersects Highway 59 in Gravette near the Kansas City Southern Railway Caboose No. 383 on the National Register of Historic Places. The highway continues east past the Banks House to the community of Hiwasse within Gravette, having an interchange with I-49 just west of the community, where the highway passes the Hiwasse Bank Building. Upon reaching Hiwasse, Highway 72 has an officially designated exception of 0.52 miles (0.84 km) with Highway 279. The highway runs southeast into Centerton, having another interchange with I-49 southeast of Hiwasee. Highway 72 has a junction with Highway 102B before entering Bentonville. In Bentonville the highway becomes Central Avenue, running east through subdivisions until meeting Walton Boulevard (former US 71B) and terminating a few blocks west of the Bentonville town square.

### Bentonville to Avoca

Highway 72 begins at I-49/US 71 in Bentonville and runs northeast to Pea Ridge. The highway has an overlap with Highway 94 through Pea Ridge before turning southeast and runs through Pea Ridge National Military Park. South of the park, Highway 72 terminates at US 62.

## History

Between Bentonville and Gravette, Highway 72 follows a former alignment of U.S. Route 71. In the late 1990s, Highway 72 was rerouted away from downtown Bentonville along US 71B, Highway 102, and Highway 112.

## Major intersections

The entire route is in Benton County.
| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Maysville | 0.00 | 0.00 | AR 43 | Western terminus |
| Gravette | | | AR 59 north (1st Avenue) – Joplin, MO | Western end of AR 59 concurrency |
| Gravette | | | AR 59 south (1st Avenue) – Siloam Springs | Eastern end of AR 59 concurrency |
| Gravette | | | I-49 | Exit 100 on I-49; former AR 549 |
| Gravette | 15.20 | 24.46 | AR 279 south | Western end of AR 279 concurrency |
| Gravette | 15.72 | 25.30 | AR 279 north | Eastern end of AR 279 concurrency |
| Gravette | | | I-49 | Exit 97 on I-49; former AR 549 |
| Centerton | | | AR 102B west (Main Street) – Centerton | Eastern terminus of AR 102B |
| Bentonville | 26.32 | 42.36 | Walton Boulevard – Pea Ridge, Bella Vista, Rogers | Eastern terminus; former US 71B |
| Gap in route |||||
| Bentonville | 0.00 | 0.00 | I-49 (US 71) – Bentonville, Fayetteville, Bella Vista, Joplin, MO | Western terminus; exit 88A on I-49; former I-540 |
| Pea Ridge | 6.79 | 10.93 | AR 94 east (South Curtis Avenue) – Rogers | Western end of AR 94 concurrency |
| Pea Ridge | 7.72 | 12.42 | AR 94 west to AR 340 west | Eastern end of AR 94 concurrency |
| ​ | 12.67 | 20.39 | US 62 – Harrison, Pea Ridge National Military Park | Eastern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus |||||

## Bentonville spur

Arkansas Highway 72 Spur (AR 72B) is a former spur route in Bentonville. Its southern terminus was at an intersection with US 71 with a northern terminus at an intersection with Highway 72 in Bentonville. Running a total distance of 1-mile (1.6 km), it was an older alignment of US 71 and at one time was part of US 71B.