East Independence, MO to Mountain Grove, MO is 230.5 miles and takes about 4h 43m via Main Road and MO 291 South, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, offering a more local feel than a highway-only route. It's a manageable one-day trip, so you can depart when it's convenient and arrive with time to spare.
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
115.3 miles from East Independence, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MO 13
68 mi
1h 19m
MO 7
55.6 mi
1h 4m
US 60
55 mi
1h 4m
MO 291
31 mi
45m
Schoolcraft Freeway
8.3 mi
10m
Payne Stewart Highway
4.3 mi
5m
I 49
2.8 mi
3m
US 60 Business
2.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
MO 13
— 68 mi, about 1h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Independence, MO and Mountain Grove, 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 right onto East Truman Road
1.4 mi·3 min·East Truman Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward MO 291 South: Lee's Summit
5
Merge onto MO 291
10.0 mi·13 min·MO 291
6
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 291
3.3 mi·5 min·MO 291
Exit 10BToward MO 291 South: HarrisonvilleUse the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Take the ramp onto MO 291
0.6 mi·53 sec·MO 291
Toward US 50 West, MO 291 South: Kansas City
8
Take the exit onto MO 291
0.1 mi·18 sec·MO 291
Toward MO 291 South: Jefferson Street, Harrisonville
9
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 291
17 mi·24 min·MO 291
Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
10
Continue on Cantrell Road
0.1 mi·19 sec·Cantrell Road
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 49 South, US 71 South: Joplin
12
Merge onto I 49; US 71
2.8 mi·3 min·I 49; US 71
13
Take the exit onto MO 7
0.2 mi·19 sec·MO 7
Exit 157Toward MO 7 South: Clinton
14
Turn slight left onto MO 7
55 mi·1 hr 3 min·MO 7
Exit 157Toward MO 7 South: ClintonUse the left lane.
15
Continue on MO 13
68 mi·1 hr 19 min·MO 13
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 44 East: Rolla, Saint Louis
17
Merge onto I 44
4.3 mi·5 min·Payne Stewart Highway
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Exit 82AToward US 65 South: Branson
19
Merge onto US 65
8.3 mi·10 min·Schoolcraft Freeway
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·52 sec
Toward US 60 East: Cabool
21
Merge onto US 60
55 mi·1 hr 4 min·US 60
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward US 60 Business: Mountain Grove
23
Turn right onto US 60 Business
2.1 mi·3 min·US 60 Business
24
Turn right onto MO 95
102 ft·2 sec·North Main Street
25
Arrive at destination
MO 95
Trip Plan
For this 230.5-mile drive, leaving in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to complete the approximately 4h 43m journey to Mountain Grove, MO. Since it's a single-day trip and primarily on surface roads, your fuel cost is estimated at $36. You'll want to plan for at least one stop for a break or to refuel, especially since there's no highway cruising to cover long distances quickly. Keep an eye on local traffic patterns as you navigate through the various towns along Main Road and MO 291 South.
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 115.3 miles from East Independence, MO, or about 2h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68 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 51 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.3 miles or 2h 25m 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 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mountain Grove, 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 230.5 miles and 4h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 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 MO 13 for about 68 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Home stretch
2.3 mi from route
~6 min detour
$20 to $30
Mountain Grove, Missouri
Hours: 4–9 pm
+14179269954
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.1 — 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
12 mi into trip|~18m in|MO 291
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 291 toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
6
15.3 mi into trip|~23m in|MO 291
Take the ramp onto MO 291 toward US 50 West, MO 291 South: Kansas City
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 50 West, MO 291 South: Kansas City
5
15.9 mi into trip|~24m in|MO 291
Take the exit onto MO 291 toward MO 291 South: Jefferson Street, Harrisonville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MO 291 South: Jefferson Street, Harrison...
6
33.1 mi into trip|~50m in
Take the exit toward I 49 South, US 71 South: Joplin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 South, US 71 South: Joplin
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.45 one way
$76.90 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$41.79
$83.58
premium
$5.26
$47.72
$95.45
diesel
$6.18
$56.07
$112.15
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.2
0
$24.20
$11.06
Efficient EV
57.6
0
$20.17
$9.22
EV Truck/SUV
92.2
1
$32.27
$14.75
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
East Independence, MO
Morning
in East Independence on Sunday
Local time
7:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Areas Of Frost then Sunny
S 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 9:40AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Destination
Mountain Grove, MO
Morning
in Mountain Grove on Sunday
Local time
7:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Sunny
NE 5 to 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 9:40AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 43m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and where the first Union general was killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focuse...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 174.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route covers 230.5 miles with no highway driving, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire 4h 43m trip. You'll start on local roads like Main Road and East Truman Road before transitioning to MO 291 South. Be prepared for frequent intersections and potential slowdowns as you pass through towns and developed areas, a common characteristic of surface road travel.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68 mi on MO 13.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MO 13 and MO 7. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Road.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 230.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles (MO 291): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles (MO 291): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,615 ft746 ft
Total Climb
1,280 ft
Total Descent
628 ft
Highest Point
1,615 ft
~197.6 mi in
Elevation Range
869 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between East Independence, MO and Mountain Grove, MO, road signs point toward Harrisonville and Saint Louis.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 43m. Total distance: 230.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68 miles on MO 13. 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Mountain Grove, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles (MO 291): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles (MO 291): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Mountain Grove, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
