East Independence, MO to Ironton, MO is 286 miles and takes about 6h 5m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, starting in Missouri and ending in the same state. The route offers a mixed driving experience, combining highway stretches with surface roads, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct path between these two points without extensive detours.
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
143 miles from East Independence, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
118.5 mi
2h 11m
MO 47
57.6 mi
1h 30m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO 21
38.6 mi
56m
East Gravois Avenue
6.2 mi
9m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
South Little Blue Parkway
1.7 mi
3m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 118.5 mi, about 2h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Independence, MO and Ironton, MO.
1
Start on East 9th Street South
79 ft·8 sec·East 9th Street South
2
Turn left onto Main Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Main Road
3
Turn left onto East Truman Road
0.7 mi·1 min·East Truman Road
4
Turn right onto Holke Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Holke Road
5
Turn straight onto South Jackson Drive
1.2 mi·2 min·South Jackson Drive
6
Turn left onto East R.D. Mize Road
0.2 mi·37 sec·East R.D. Mize Road
7
Turn right onto South Little Blue Parkway
1.7 mi·3 min·South Little Blue Parkway
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 17Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall EntranceUse the left lane.
9
Continue on I 70
53 mi·56 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.9 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
15
Continue on I 70; US 40
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Exit 193Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
17
Turn right onto MO 47
31 mi·47 min·MO 47
Use the straight lane.
18
At end of road, turn left onto US 50; MO 47
0.4 mi·49 sec·US 50; MO 47
Use the left lane.
19
Take the exit
136 ft·5 sec
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto MO 47
6.2 mi·8 min·MO 47
21
Turn right onto US Historic 66; MO 47
1.0 mi·1 min·Commercial Avenue
22
Continue on MO 30; MO 47
6.2 mi·9 min·East Gravois Avenue
23
Turn right onto MO 47
20 mi·34 min·MO 47
24
At end of road, turn right onto MO 21; MO 47
23 mi·33 min·MO 21; MO 47
25
Continue on MO 21; MO 32
11 mi·16 min·MO 21; MO 32
26
At end of road, turn right onto MO 21
4.3 mi·6 min·MO 21
27
Turn right onto East Russell Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·East Russell Street
28
Arrive at destination
Russell Street
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 5m estimated drive time, starting your trip in the morning is advisable to ensure you arrive with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can make good time. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you approach the 118.5-mile mark on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, as services might become less frequent on the subsequent surface roads. The $45 fuel cost is an estimate, so check current prices. This route is easily manageable in one day, offering flexibility for a leisurely start or a more direct arrival in Ironton.
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 143 miles from East Independence, MO, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.5 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 63 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143 miles or 2h 42m 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ironton, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving East Independence, 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 East Independence, MO
This is one driving day of about 286 miles and 6h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from East Independence, 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 118.5 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 213.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Road
Turn left onto Main Road
Navigation decision point
8
5 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Exit 17
Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall E...
6
181.7 mi into trip|~3h 25m in
Take the exit toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 193
Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
5
212.9 mi into trip|~4h 13m in|US 50; MO 47
At end of road, turn left onto US 50; MO 47
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
213.3 mi into trip|~4h 14m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.71 one way
$89.43 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg100 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$49.09
$98.19
premium
$4.89
$55.04
$110.08
diesel
$5.61
$63.15
$126.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.8
1
$30.03
$13.73
Efficient EV
71.5
0
$25.03
$11.44
EV Truck/SUV
114.4
1
$40.04
$18.30
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
33 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
East Independence, MO
Late night
in East Independence on Tuesday
Local time
3:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ironton, MO
Late night
in Ironton on Tuesday
Local time
3:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
11 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 5m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 34% of your time on highways. The longest continuous stretch on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway covers 118.5 miles, offering a good period of consistent driving. After this, you'll transition to MO 47 and U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, which will likely involve more varied terrain and potentially more frequent exits or intersections. Expect a mix of open highway cruising and more local road driving.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.5 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 early in the drive near Main Road.
Driving Effort4/10
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 5m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 17 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 181.7 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.
On the drive from East Independence, MO to Ironton, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Hawk Point along the way.
Hawk Point
181.7 mi in|~3h 25m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 5m. Total distance: 286 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 118.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 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 Ironton, MO 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 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 181.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Ironton, MO before the return drive.
