Origin
Carl Junction, MO
Night in Carl Junction on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carl Junction, MO to Joplin, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
8.4 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carl Junction, MO
Kelly
Joplin, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit in the Midwest, the 8.4-mile trek from Carl Junction to Joplin is an ideal day trip. You can expect to spend about 15 minutes behind the wheel, making this a highly efficient connection between these two Missouri locations. With a minimal fuel cost of just $1, it is an extremely budget-friendly journey that requires no overnight planning. The route utilizes a mix of North Main Street Road, MO 171, and West Pennell Street to bridge the gap. Because the drive is so short, you have total flexibility to complete it at any time of day that suits your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Main Street Road | 4 mi | 8m |
| MO 171 | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| West Pennell Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
North Main Street Road
— 4 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carl Junction, MO and Joplin, MO.
1
Start on MO Z
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Pennell Street
2
Turn right onto MO 171
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
MO 171
3
Enter roundabout onto MO 43
19 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Main Street Road
4
Continue on MO 43
4.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North Main Street Road
5
Turn left
60 ft
·
6 sec
6
Turn right
83 ft
·
6 sec
7
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 8.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MO 171
Turn right onto MO 171
Navigation decision point
4
4.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
MO 43 / North Main Street Road
Enter roundabout onto MO 43 / North Main Street Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
8.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
8.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.31 one way
$2.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.44 | $2.88 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.62 | $3.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.85 | $3.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.74 | $0.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
Joplin, MO
Night in Joplin on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
15m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a practical, mixed-drive experience that transitions between local streets and highway infrastructure. Approximately 36% of your journey will be spent on highways, providing a steady pace for a portion of the trip. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on North Main Street Road, covering 4 miles of the total distance. The road's personality is functional rather than scenic, moving you efficiently through the regional landscape. You will find that the transition between these road types is relatively seamless, offering a predictable driving environment from start to finish.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4 mi on North Main Street Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near MO 171.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 15m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (MO 171): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles (MO 43 / North Main Street Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,004 ft
876 ft
Total Climb
253 ft
Total Descent
143 ft
Highest Point
1,004 ft
~8.4 mi in
Elevation Range
128 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 8.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4 miles on North Main Street Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (MO 171): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles (MO 43 / North Main Street Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Joplin, MO before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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