Fort Dodge, KS to Saint Marys, KS is 253.7 miles and takes about 4h 58m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and KS 156, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains, offering a consistent rural feel for its entire 253.7-mile length. You'll spend over half the drive on highways, but expect a shift to surface roads as you get closer to your destination. It's a straightforward, single-day excursion perfect for a quick hop across Kansas.
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
126.8 miles from Fort Dodge, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
49.4 mi
49m
KS 156
47.9 mi
55m
US 50
29.3 mi
34m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
27.7 mi
27m
US 24
25.3 mi
32m
US 56
25.1 mi
30m
East 14th Street
19.3 mi
23m
KS 18
14.6 mi
19m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 49.4 mi, about 49m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~737 veh/hr typical
· worst 953
Quietest
1 AM
~65 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.3×
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 Fort Dodge, KS and Saint Marys, KS.
Since this is a manageable 4h 58m drive, you can comfortably leave in the morning and arrive well before dark. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to decide when and where to pull over. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you transition from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway to KS 156 and US 50, as services might be more spread out on the surface roads. The estimated fuel cost of $45 is a good baseline for budgeting this trip.
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 126.8 miles from Fort Dodge, KS, or about 2h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.4 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 56 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 126.8 miles or 2h 37m 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Marys, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Dodge, 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 Fort Dodge, KS
This is one driving day of about 253.7 miles and 4h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Fort Dodge, 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 49.4 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 212.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 400
Turn right onto US 400
Navigation decision point
5
1.8 mi into trip|~2m in|117 Road
Turn sharp left onto 117 Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
82 mi into trip|~1h 42m in|Washington Street
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
5
134.6 mi into trip|~2h 46m in
Take the ramp toward I-70 East, Salina
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-70 East, Salina
6
212.2 mi into trip|~4h 4m in|KS 18
Turn left onto KS 18
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.18 one way
$84.36 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$45.95
$91.89
premium
$5.18
$51.77
$103.54
diesel
$5.35
$53.44
$106.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.1
0
$26.64
$12.18
Efficient EV
63.4
0
$22.20
$10.15
EV Truck/SUV
101.5
1
$35.52
$16.24
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Fort Dodge, KS
Afternoon
in Fort Dodge on Wednesday
Local time
3:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 10 mph46% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 3:17AM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 1:22AM CDT until June 2 at 5:30AM CDT by NWS Wichita KS
Destination
Saint Marys, KS
Afternoon
in Saint Marys on Wednesday
Local time
3:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
NE 5 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 3:17AM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 1:22AM CDT until June 2 at 5:30AM CDT by NWS Wichita KS
88°F
Marquette, KS
127 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
4 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 58m 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.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...
24 mi from route
~59 min detour
Free
near mile 253.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 57% highway, meaning you'll have a solid stretch of faster driving. The longest continuous segment on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway covers 49.4 miles. After the highway portion, expect a shift to surface roads for the remainder of your trip. The transition from high-speed highway cruising to more local surface roads is a key change you'll notice as you progress.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.4 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 around 0.1 miles in near US 400.
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 58m drive. You will face about 17 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 400): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (117 Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 82 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,464 ft957 ft
Total Climb
122 ft
Total Descent
1,629 ft
Highest Point
2,464 ft
Elevation Range
1,507 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 Fort Dodge, KS to Saint Marys, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 13 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 0.1 miles (US 400): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (117 Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 82 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Saint Marys, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
