Cape Girardeau, MO to Battlefield, MO is 271.5 miles and takes about 5h 21m via US 60 and US 61, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region. It's a primarily highway-focused drive, meaning you'll be covering ground efficiently. Given the relatively short duration and straightforward route, this is a great option for a single-day journey, allowing ample time for potential detours or a leisurely pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
135.7 miles from Cape Girardeau, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 60
236.1 mi
4h 37m
US 61
27.2 mi
29m
MO FF
2.5 mi
3m
South Kingshighway
1.9 mi
2m
Shawnee Parkway
1.6 mi
2m
North Sprigg Street
0.8 mi
1m
Broadway Street
0.5 mi
<1m
US 160
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 60
— 236.1 mi, about 4h 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Girardeau, MO and Battlefield, MO.
1
Start on Broadway Street
0.5 mi·55 sec·Broadway Street
2
Turn left onto MO 177
0.8 mi·1 min·North Sprigg Street
3
Turn right onto MO 34; MO 74
1.6 mi·2 min·Shawnee Parkway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto I 55 Bus; US 61
1.9 mi·2 min·South Kingshighway
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 61
27 mi·29 min·US 61
Toward I 55 South, US 61 South: Sikeston
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 66BToward US 60 West: Dexter, Poplar Bluff
7
Merge onto US 60
45 mi·52 min·US 60
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 60
5.5 mi·6 min·US 60
9
Take the exit onto US 60
4.5 mi·6 min·US 60
Toward US 60 West, US 67 North: Springfield, Saint Louis
10
Take the exit onto US 60
181 mi·3 hr 32 min·US 60
11
Take the exit onto US 160
0.2 mi·49 sec·US 160
Toward US 160 West, MO FF: Battlefield
12
Turn left onto US 160
0.1 mi·13 sec·West Bypass
13
Continue on MO FF
2.5 mi·3 min·MO FF
14
Turn left onto 182
68 ft·1 sec·West 3rd Street
15
Arrive at destination
182
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of just over 5 hours, you can comfortably complete this trip in one day. Leaving in the morning allows you to arrive with plenty of daylight. The longest stretch without significant turns is over 236 miles on US 60, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you embark on that portion. While the fuel cost is estimated at $42, it's always wise to factor in a buffer. Given the single-day nature of this trip, flexibility is key; you can easily adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 135.7 miles from Cape Girardeau, MO, or about 2h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 236.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 60 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.7 miles or 2h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Battlefield, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cape Girardeau, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cape Girardeau, MO
This is one driving day of about 271.5 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Cape Girardeau, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 60 for about 236.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 268.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.9 mi into trip|~5m in|I 55 Bus; US 61 / South Kingshighway
Turn left onto I 55 Bus; US 61 / South Kingshighway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
4.8 mi into trip|~8m in|US 61
Keep slight left at fork onto US 61 toward I 55 South, US 61 South: Sikeston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 55 South, US 61 South: Sikeston
6
31.9 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward US 60 West: Dexter, Poplar Bluff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 66B
Toward US 60 West: Dexter, Poplar Bluff
5
83.4 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|US 60
Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 West, US 67 North: Springfield, Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 60 West, US 67 North: Springfield, Sa...
5
268.6 mi into trip|~5h 16m in|US 160
Take the exit onto US 160 toward US 160 West, MO FF: Battlefield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 160 West, MO FF: Battlefield
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.45 one way
$84.89 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg95 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$46.60
$93.21
premium
$4.89
$52.25
$104.50
diesel
$5.61
$59.94
$119.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
81.5
1
$28.51
$13.03
Efficient EV
67.9
0
$23.76
$10.86
EV Truck/SUV
108.6
1
$38.01
$17.38
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Cape Girardeau, MO
Night
in Cape Girardeau on Saturday
Local time
9:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Battlefield, MO
Night
in Battlefield on Saturday
Local time
9:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 21m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and where the first Union general was killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focuse...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 271.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for this route, with 98% of your journey on major roads like US 60 and US 61. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 236.1 miles primarily on US 60. This means you can settle in for a good portion of the drive, making consistent progress toward your destination. While the majority is highway, the presence of MO FF indicates some potential for varied road conditions as you get closer to your endpoint.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 236.1 mi on US 60.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 60 and US 61. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near I 55 Bus; US 61 / South Kingshighway.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 271.5 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles (I 55 Bus; US 61 / South Kingshighway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (US 61): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cape Girardeau, MO and Battlefield, MO, road signs point toward Poplar Bluff and Saint Louis.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 21m. Total distance: 271.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 236.1 miles on US 60. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles (I 55 Bus; US 61 / South Kingshighway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (US 61): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Battlefield, MO before the return drive.
