Elsberry, MO to Lee's Summit, MO is 219.6 miles and takes about 4h 23m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, traveling entirely within Missouri. Expect a route that involves numerous turns and a varied driving experience, rather than a straightforward interstate journey. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's a manageable one-day drive, allowing for flexibility in your departure time.
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
109.8 miles from Elsberry, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
95.4 mi
1h 46m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO E
28 mi
39m
Broadway Street
11.1 mi
15m
I 470
6.4 mi
7m
Danville Road
5.2 mi
7m
MO 161
4.8 mi
6m
MO V
4.6 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 95.4 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elsberry, MO and Lee's Summit, MO.
1
Start on MO 79
69 ft·6 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn right onto MO B
11 mi·15 min·Broadway Street
3
Continue on MO E
16 mi·22 min·MO E
4
At end of road, turn left onto MO E; MO O
0.5 mi·44 sec·MO E; MO O
5
Turn right onto MO E
12 mi·16 min·MO E
6
Turn right onto MO V
4.6 mi·6 min·MO V
7
Turn left onto MO 161
4.4 mi·6 min·MO 161
8
Turn straight onto MO 161
0.2 mi·27 sec·East 3rd Street
9
Turn left onto MO 19; MO 161
377 ft·8 sec·North Sturgeon Street
10
Turn right onto MO 161
0.4 mi·31 sec·West 2nd Street
11
Turn straight onto MO 161
0.1 mi·11 sec·Danville Road
12
Continue on MO 161
5.0 mi·7 min·Danville Road
13
At end of road, turn right onto MO 161
0.4 mi·38 sec·MO 161
14
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·13 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
15
Merge onto I 70; US 40
41 mi·47 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
16
Continue on I 70; US 40
2.0 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
17
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
18
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
19
Continue on I 70; US 40
54 mi·58 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Exit 15AToward I 470 South, MO 291 South: Lee's SummitUse the right lane.
23
Merge onto I 470; MO 291
6.4 mi·7 min·I 470; MO 291
24
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 291
2.5 mi·4 min·MO 291
Exit 10BToward MO 291 South: HarrisonvilleUse the slight left / straight lanes.
25
Turn right onto Southeast 3rd Street
0.9 mi·2 min·Southeast 3rd Street
26
Continue on Southwest 3rd Street
0.3 mi·40 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
27
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
With a duration of just over 4 hours, this is a comfortable one-day trip, so you have the flexibility to leave when you're ready. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point, to refuel or grab a quick bite. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially when you are on the local roads, as services might be less frequent than on major interstates. The longest stretch without a turn is over 95 miles, so consider where you'll want your planned stop to be relative to that section.
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 109.8 miles from Elsberry, MO, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 95.4 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 48 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.8 miles or 2h 21m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lee's Summit, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elsberry, 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 Elsberry, MO
This is one driving day of about 219.6 miles and 4h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Elsberry, 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 95.4 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 48.3 and 216 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
48.3 mi into trip|~1h 7m in|MO 19; MO 161 / North Sturgeon Street
Turn left onto MO 19; MO 161 / North Sturgeon Street
Navigation decision point
5
53.9 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|MO 161
At end of road, turn right onto MO 161
Navigation decision point
5
54.3 mi into trip|~1h 16m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
8
209.3 mi into trip|~4h 8m in
Take the exit toward I 470 South, MO 291 South: Lee's Summit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 470 South, MO 291 South: Lee's Summit
8
216 mi into trip|~4h 16m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.33 one way
$68.66 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$37.70
$75.39
premium
$4.89
$42.26
$84.52
diesel
$5.61
$48.48
$96.97
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.9
0
$23.06
$10.54
Efficient EV
54.9
0
$19.22
$8.78
EV Truck/SUV
87.8
1
$30.74
$14.05
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Elsberry, MO
Morning
in Elsberry on Tuesday
Local time
9:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lee's Summit, MO
Morning
in Lee's Summit on Tuesday
Local time
9:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
5 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 23m 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?
This route is characterized by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with only a 6% share on highways. You'll encounter a mix of driving conditions, moving between local roads and some highway stretches. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 95.4 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction as you navigate through smaller towns and local routes across Missouri.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 95.4 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 around 48.3 miles in near MO 19; MO 161 / North Sturgeon Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 23m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 48.3 miles (MO 19; MO 161 / North Sturgeon Street): Navigation decision point; at 53.9 miles (MO 161): Navigation decision point; at 54.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 23m. Total distance: 219.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 95.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 48.3 miles (MO 19; MO 161 / North Sturgeon Street): Navigation decision point; at 53.9 miles (MO 161): Navigation decision point; at 54.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Lee's Summit, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
