Columbia, MO to Lathrop, MO is 139.9 miles and takes about 2h 50m via U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway and MO 13, with a fuel budget near $25 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, crossing from central Missouri to the northwestern part of the state. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making it a straightforward drive for a single day. With a relatively short distance and clear route, this is an easy option for a quick trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
70 miles from Columbia, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO 13
45.1 mi
1h 1m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
21.7 mi
23m
West Elm Street
10.5 mi
13m
MO 116
5.2 mi
7m
North Providence Road
1.2 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
0.8 mi
1m
Center Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
— 54.4 mi, about 58m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,341 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,667
Quietest
2 AM
~166 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 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 Lathrop, 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
54 mi·58 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
6
Continue on I 70; US 40
20 mi·21 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 49Toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
8
Turn right onto MO 13
45 mi·1 hr 1 min·MO 13
9
Turn left onto MO 116
11 mi·13 min·West Elm Street
10
Enter roundabout onto MO 116
119 ft·1 sec·MO 116
11
Continue on MO 116
5.2 mi·7 min·MO 116
12
Turn left onto MO 33
0.6 mi·1 min·Center Street
13
Turn right onto Oak Street
274 ft·12 sec·Oak Street
14
Arrive at destination
Oak Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 50m estimated drive time, this route is easily manageable in a single day, allowing for a flexible departure. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid potential early rush hour traffic and arrive in Lathrop with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $25, planning for fuel and a quick break should be straightforward. The longest stretch without a major road change is over 54 miles, so ensure you have entertainment or a full tank before heading out on that segment.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 70 miles from Columbia, MO, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.4 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 31 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70 miles or 1h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lathrop, 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 139.9 miles and 2h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 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 U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway for about 54.4 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 139.9 — 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
3
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
78.2 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 49
Toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
5
134.1 mi into trip|~2h 41m in|MO 116
Enter roundabout onto MO 116
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
139.9 mi into trip|~2h 50m in|Oak Street
Turn right onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.26 one way
$46.52 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg49 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$25.34
$50.67
premium
$5.18
$28.55
$57.09
diesel
$5.35
$29.47
$58.93
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42
0
$14.69
$6.72
Efficient EV
35
0
$12.24
$5.60
EV Truck/SUV
56
0
$19.59
$8.95
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Columbia, MO
Afternoon
in Columbia on Wednesday
Local time
4:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 6 mph79% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued May 31 at 8:59PM CDT until June 1 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued May 31 at 8:57PM CDT until June 1 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Destination
Lathrop, MO
Afternoon
in Lathrop on Wednesday
Local time
4:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 6 mph57% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued May 31 at 8:59PM CDT until June 1 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued May 31 at 8:57PM CDT until June 1 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
68°F
Oak Grove, MO
70 mi in
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
1 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
2h 50m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 36% of this 139.9-mile trip on highways, with the longest stretch of highway driving being 54.4 miles on the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. After this highway section, expect to transition to surface roads for the remainder of the drive. The profile indicates a mixed highway and surface road experience, so be prepared for changes in speed limits and road conditions.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.4 mi on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Columbia, MO to Lathrop, MO is easy. At 2h 50m with 36% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 78.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,063 ft696 ft
Total Climb
649 ft
Total Descent
293 ft
Highest Point
1,063 ft
~139.9 mi in
Elevation Range
367 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Columbia, MO to Lathrop, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Warrensburg along the way.
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
The longest stretch is about 54.4 miles on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 1.4 miles (I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 78.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lathrop, MO before heading back.
