The drive from Columbia, MO to Lamar, MO covers 205.5 miles and takes about 4h 10m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 65, US 54, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52.8 miles on US 65.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
102.8 miles from Columbia, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 65
52.8 mi
1h 4m
US 54
51.6 mi
1h 5m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
45.7 mi
48m
I 49
24.7 mi
26m
MO 83
24.1 mi
33m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1.8 mi
2m
US 160
1.3 mi
2m
North Providence Road
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 65
— 52.8 mi, about 1h 4m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,312 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,679
Quietest
2 AM
~164 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MO and Lamar, MO.
1
Start on MO 163
1.2 mi·2 min·North Providence Road
2
Turn left
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
3
Merge onto I 70; US 40
0.8 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
4
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5
Continue on I 70; US 40
46 mi·48 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·37 sec
Exit 78AToward US 65 South: Sedalia
7
Merge onto US 65
53 mi·1 hr 4 min·US 65
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·40 sec
9
Turn left onto MO 83
0.1 mi·13 sec·Blue Branch Road
10
Continue on MO 83
0.9 mi·1 min·MO 83
11
Turn sharp right onto MO 83
1.5 mi·2 min·MO 83
12
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 83
22 mi·29 min·MO 83
13
At end of road, turn right onto US 54
52 mi·1 hr 5 min·US 54
14
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·24 sec
15
Merge onto I 49; US 71
25 mi·26 min·I 49; US 71
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 77Toward US 160: Lamar, Mindenmines
17
Turn left onto US 160
1.3 mi·2 min·US 160
18
Turn left onto Broadway Street
436 ft·17 sec·Broadway Street
19
Turn left onto 11th Street West
198 ft·7 sec·11th Street West
20
Turn right
134 ft·9 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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 102.8 miles from Columbia, MO, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.8 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 45 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102.8 miles or 2h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lamar, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Columbia, 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 Columbia, MO
This is one driving day of about 205.5 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Columbia, 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 65 for about 52.8 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 203.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in
Turn left toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
5
49.7 mi into trip|~55m in
Take the exit toward US 65 South: Sedalia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 78A
Toward US 65 South: Sedalia
5
102.9 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|MO 83 / Blue Branch Road
Turn left onto MO 83 / Blue Branch Road
Navigation decision point
5
104 mi into trip|~2h 3m in|MO 83
Turn sharp right onto MO 83
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
203.9 mi into trip|~4h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 160: Lamar, Mindenmines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 77
Toward US 160: Lamar, Mindenmines
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.86 one way
$63.72 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg72 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$34.94
$69.87
premium
$4.93
$39.87
$79.74
diesel
$5.60
$45.30
$90.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.7
0
$21.58
$9.86
Efficient EV
51.4
0
$17.98
$8.22
EV Truck/SUV
82.2
1
$28.77
$13.15
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Forecast as of Sep 6, 2026
Origin
Columbia, MO
Evening
in Columbia on Monday
Local time
8:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lamar, MO
Evening
in Lamar on Monday
Local time
8:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
22 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
4h 10m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
205.5 mi in 4h 10m, mostly highway — 52.8 mi of that is on US 65.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.8 mi on US 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 65 and US 54. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
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 205.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 1.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 102.9 miles (MO 83 / Blue Branch Road): Navigation decision point.
Columbia is a bustling college town in Missouri, halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City. It is home of the University of Missouri (also known as 'Mizzou') as well as two other post-secondary institutions Stephens College and Columbia College.
Top landmarks
•First Christian Church — historic church in Columbia, Missouri, United States
•Columbia Cemetery — cemetery in Columbia, Missouri, United States
•David Guitar House — historic house in Missouri, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 10m. Total distance: 205.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 52.8 miles on US 65. 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 102.9 miles (MO 83 / Blue Branch Road): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Lamar, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
