Eagles Landing Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Dodge City, KS to Columbus, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 25m
Distance
318.2 mi
512 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$50
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 13m
★
6 AM
6h 26m
8 AM
6h 50m
10 AM
6h 34m
12 PM
6h 32m
3 PM
6h 36m
5 PM
6h 49m
8 PM
6h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dodge City, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Columbus, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dodge City, KS to Columbus, KS covers 318.2 miles and takes about 6h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway, Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 68.2 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.75 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
159.1 miles from Dodge City, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 14m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 68.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway | 63.6 mi | 1h 13m |
| Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway | 61.9 mi | 1h 11m |
| Cannonball Stageline | 60.2 mi | 1h 8m |
| East Trail Street | 41.9 mi | 50m |
| K-7 | 11.1 mi | 16m |
| West 1st Street | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| D Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 68.2 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dodge City, KS and Columbus, KS.
1
Start on Central Avenue
33 ft
·
0 sec
·
Central Avenue
2
Turn left onto East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto US 56; US 283
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 56; US 283
4
Turn left onto US 400
42 mi
·
50 min
·
East Trail Street
5
Continue on US 54; US 400
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Kansas Avenue
6
Continue on US 54; US 400
29 mi
·
33 min
·
Cannonball Stageline
7
Continue on US 54; US 400
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
West 1st Street
8
Continue on US 54; US 400
31 mi
·
35 min
·
Cannonball Stageline
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 54; US 400
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
D Avenue
10
Continue on US 54; US 400; KS 14
61 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 54; US 400
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West 7th Avenue
12
Continue on US 54; US 77; US 400
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
13
Continue on US 400
62 mi
·
1 hr 11 min
·
Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway
14
Enter roundabout onto US 400
157 ft
·
2 sec
·
Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
15
Continue on US 400
64 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto K-7
11 mi
·
16 min
·
K-7
17
Turn right onto US 160
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
US 160
18
Turn left onto North Kansas Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Kansas Avenue
19
Turn right onto West Pine Street
365 ft
·
21 sec
·
West Pine Street
20
Turn left onto South Pennsylvania Avenue
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Pennsylvania Avenue
21
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159.1 miles from Dodge City, KS, or about 3h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.2 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 70 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 159.1 miles or 3h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Columbus, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dodge City, KS 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 Dodge City, KS
This is one driving day of about 318.2 miles and 6h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Dodge City, KS.
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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway for about 68.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
159 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 159.1 miles from Dodge City, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Stockyards Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 318.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
Turn left onto East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
242.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 52m in
|
US 400 / Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 400 / Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
305.8 mi into trip
|
~6h 5m in
|
K-7
Turn right onto K-7
Navigation decision point
4
316.9 mi into trip
|
~6h 22m in
|
US 160
Turn right onto US 160
Navigation decision point
5
318.2 mi into trip
|
~6h 25m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.75 one way
$99.49 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
111 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $54.62 | $109.24 |
| premium | $4.89 | $61.23 | $122.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $70.25 | $140.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 95.5 | 1 | $33.41 | $15.27 |
| Efficient EV | 79.6 | 0 | $27.84 | $12.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 127.3 | 1 | $44.55 | $20.36 |
Gas CO2
111 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% 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.
Origin
Dodge City, KS
Evening in Dodge City on Sunday
Local time
5:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Columbus, KS
Evening in Columbus on Sunday
Local time
5:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°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
13 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
6h 25m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
318.2 mi in 6h 25m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.2 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Wyatt Earp Boulevard.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 25m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 10 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Wyatt Earp Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 242.2 miles (US 400 / Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 305.8 miles (K-7): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 25m. Total distance: 318.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 25m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.2 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Columbus, KS before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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. There are 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Wyatt Earp Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 242.2 miles (US 400 / Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 305.8 miles (K-7): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Columbus, KS before the return drive.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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