US Trip Planner

Scenic Drives in Kansas

Routes

60

Avg Distance

373 mi

Avg Drive

6h 58m

Destinations

30

These 60 scenic drives in Kansas earned a drive score of 7+ out of 10. The average route covers 373 miles through the state's most varied and visually interesting terrain.

Fuel snapshot for this state

Regular

$3.75/gal

Diesel: $4.80/gal

Typical trip cost

$48–$67

One-way, ~373 mi avg @ 25.4 MPG

CO₂ per trip

~131 kg

ICE vehicle, one-way average

Source: US Energy Information Administration • week of 2026-07-13

Climate through the year: Kansas

Kansas peaks at around 93°F in Jul and cools to 44°F / 23°F in Jan. Wettest month is May at ~5.2 in of rain.

Month	High °F	Low °F	Rain in	Snow in
Jan	44	23	0.9	2.7
Feb	49	26	1.2	3.6
Mar	59	36	2.3	2.1
Apr	68	45	3.1	0.2
May	78	56	5.2	—
Jun	88	66	4.9	—
Jul	93	70	4	—
Aug	91	69	4.3	—
Sep	83	60	3.1	—
Oct	71	47	2.9	0.2
Nov	57	35	1.4	0.8
Dec	46	25	1.2	3.1

Source: NOAA NCEI Monthly Climate Normals, 1991–2020 reference period. Sampled at the major-airport station for KS — microclimates along specific routes can vary significantly.

Planning Tips

Scenic routes often have fewer gas stations and services. Top off your tank before heading into mountainous or rural stretches.
Budget extra time for scenic drives — pulling over for views, photos, and short hikes is half the point.
Check weather conditions for mountain passes and high-elevation stretches, especially in shoulder seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

We rate routes on a 1-10 drive score based on elevation changes, road variety, and terrain diversity. The 60 routes listed here all score 7 or higher.

Current regular gas averages $3.75/gallon in Kansas (week of 2026-07-13). Diesel: $4.80/gallon. A typical one-way trip on these routes costs between $48 and $67. Source: US Energy Information Administration.

Drive times and distances come from OSRM routing over real OpenStreetMap road networks. Fuel costs use weekly US Energy Information Administration state-level gas prices. Drive scores factor in elevation profile, road variety, and terrain. EV charging data is sourced from NREL. Climate normals come from NOAA NCEI (1991–2020 reference period). Hazard data comes from FEMA and USGS public feeds.

Yes. Click any route to see its full trip page with turn-by-turn directions, fuel cost estimates, elevation profile, stop suggestions, weather conditions, and more.

Top Scenic Routes

Pittsburg, KS → Colby, KS

452.2 mi 8h 8m Score: 9/10 ~$67 fuel

Through: Hutchinson

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leawood, KS → Elkhart, KS

450.6 mi 8h 44m Score: 7/10 ~$67 fuel

Through: Newton

Overland Park, KS → Elkhart, KS

446.1 mi 8h 38m Score: 7/10 ~$66 fuel

Through: Newton

Leavenworth, KS → Saint Francis, KS

441.6 mi 7h 57m Score: 8/10 ~$65 fuel

Through: Salina → Sharon Springs

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Saint Francis, KS → Kansas City, KS

441.1 mi 7h 52m Score: 9/10 ~$65 fuel

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leawood, KS → Johnson, KS

430.3 mi 8h 31m Score: 7/10 ~$64 fuel

Through: Newton

Overland Park, KS → Johnson, KS

425.8 mi 8h 25m Score: 7/10 ~$63 fuel

Through: Newton

Leoti, KS → Overland Park, KS

422.8 mi 7h 24m Score: 8/10 ~$62 fuel

Through: Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Hugoton, KS

421.6 mi 7h 58m Score: 9/10 ~$62 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Shawnee, KS → Ulysses, KS

410.6 mi 8h Score: 9/10 ~$61 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Elkhart, KS → Soldier, KS

406.8 mi 8h 5m Score: 9/10 ~$60 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leawood, KS → Atwood, KS

406.3 mi 7h 23m Score: 8/10 ~$60 fuel

Through: Salina → Leoti

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Goodland, KS

406.2 mi 6h 55m Score: 8/10 ~$60 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Pittsburg, KS → Park, KS

405.7 mi 7h 21m Score: 9/10 ~$60 fuel

Through: Hutchinson

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Lakin, KS → Leawood, KS

402.6 mi 7h 39m Score: 9/10 ~$59 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City → Lawrence

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Atwood, KS → Kansas City, KS

400.1 mi 7h 12m Score: 8/10 ~$59 fuel

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Ulysses, KS → Lenexa, KS

399.9 mi 7h 51m Score: 8/10 ~$59 fuel

Through: Emporia → Kansas City → Wichita +1 more

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Scott City, KS → Leawood, KS

399.8 mi 7h Score: 8/10 ~$59 fuel

Through: Kansas City → Lawrence

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Lakin, KS

397 mi 7h 27m Score: 10/10 ~$59 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Pittsburg, KS → Ulysses, KS

396.5 mi 8h 8m Score: 9/10 ~$59 fuel

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Satanta, KS → Kansas City, KS

393.9 mi 7h 25m Score: 10/10 ~$58 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Overland Park, KS → Satanta, KS

385.6 mi 7h 26m Score: 8/10 ~$57 fuel

Through: Newton

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leavenworth, KS → Holcomb, KS

382.9 mi 7h 16m Score: 10/10 ~$57 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Plains, KS

382.4 mi 7h 3m Score: 10/10 ~$56 fuel

Through: Wichita

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Pittsburg, KS → Garden City, KS

382.3 mi 7h 31m Score: 9/10 ~$56 fuel

Through: Hutchinson

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Holcomb, KS

382.3 mi 7h 11m Score: 10/10 ~$56 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leawood, KS → Colby, KS

377.7 mi 6h 32m Score: 8/10 ~$56 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Garden City, KS → Leavenworth, KS

374.3 mi 7h 6m Score: 9/10 ~$55 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Garden City, KS → Kansas City, KS

373.8 mi 7h Score: 9/10 ~$55 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leavenworth, KS → Colby, KS

372.1 mi 6h 25m Score: 8/10 ~$55 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Colby, KS

371.4 mi 6h 20m Score: 8/10 ~$55 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Overland Park, KS → Plains, KS

371.2 mi 6h 56m Score: 10/10 ~$55 fuel

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Shawnee, KS → Colby, KS

369.8 mi 6h 22m Score: 8/10 ~$55 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Lenexa, KS → Colby, KS

369.4 mi 6h 21m Score: 8/10 ~$55 fuel

Through: Salina

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Meade, KS

367.7 mi 6h 46m Score: 10/10 ~$54 fuel

Through: Wichita

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Meade, KS → Shawnee, KS

360.6 mi 6h 43m Score: 10/10 ~$53 fuel

Through: Kansas City → Oklahoma City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Overland Park, KS → Meade, KS

356.5 mi 6h 38m Score: 10/10 ~$53 fuel

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Oakley, KS → Lenexa, KS

348.7 mi 6h 1m Score: 8/10 ~$52 fuel

Through: Kansas City → Lawrence

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leawood, KS → Cimarron, KS

348.5 mi 6h 41m Score: 8/10 ~$51 fuel

Through: Newton

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Hays, KS → Pittsburg, KS

343.8 mi 6h 23m Score: 10/10 ~$51 fuel

Through: El Dorado

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Roeland Park, KS → Dodge City, KS

336.9 mi 6h 16m Score: 10/10 ~$50 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Riverside, KS → Leawood, KS

336.6 mi 6h 35m Score: 9/10 ~$50 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City → Lawrence

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Dodge City, KS → Mission, KS

336.1 mi 6h 13m Score: 10/10 ~$50 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leavenworth, KS → Dodge City, KS

334.6 mi 6h 16m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Dodge City, KS

333.9 mi 6h 11m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leavenworth, KS → Fort Dodge, KS

333.1 mi 6h 17m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Kansas City, KS → Fort Dodge, KS

332.5 mi 6h 11m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Riverside, KS → Leavenworth, KS

331.5 mi 6h 29m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Fort Dodge, KS → Shawnee, KS

330.9 mi 6h 13m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Dodge City, KS → Mission Hills, KS

330.1 mi 6h 17m Score: 8/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Emporia → Kansas City → Wichita +1 more

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Leawood, KS → Dodge City, KS

330 mi 6h 17m Score: 8/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Newton

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Fairway, KS → Dodge City, KS

329.6 mi 6h 16m Score: 8/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Newton

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Galena, KS → Fort Dodge, KS

329.6 mi 6h 34m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Lansing, KS → Dodge City, KS

329.5 mi 6h 6m Score: 10/10 ~$49 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Overland Park, KS → Norton, KS

328.2 mi 6h 24m Score: 9/10 ~$48 fuel

Through: Salina → Manhattan → Council Grove

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Fairmount, KS → Fort Dodge, KS

326.1 mi 6h 5m Score: 10/10 ~$48 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Soldier, KS → Garden City, KS

326 mi 6h 28m Score: 10/10 ~$48 fuel

Through: Salina → Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Baker, KS → Fort Dodge, KS

324.5 mi 6h 15m Score: 9/10 ~$48 fuel

Through: Ellsworth → Great Bend

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Hill City, KS → Overland Park, KS

324 mi 5h 45m Score: 8/10 ~$48 fuel

Through: Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

Dodge City, KS → Edwardsville, KS

323.7 mi 6h 1m Score: 10/10 ~$48 fuel

Through: Salina → Kansas City

5 tricky spots High drive quality

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Kansas Trips