Hardtner to Lake City is 40.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via Hackberry Road and US 160, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short journey stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward drive. It's a practical option for connecting these two communities, suitable for a quick trip without extensive planning. Given its brevity, it’s ideal for those looking for a simple, direct connection with minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Hackberry Road
22.6 mi
33m
US 160
12.3 mi
18m
Lake City Road
4.2 mi
16m
Seminary Street
0.8 mi
3m
Central Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Cleveland Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Hackberry Road
— 22.6 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hardtner, KS and Lake City, KS.
1
Start on Central Avenue
0.3 mi·25 sec·Central Avenue
2
Continue on US 281
23 mi·33 min·Hackberry Road
3
Turn left onto US 160
12 mi·18 min·US 160
4
Turn right onto Lake City Road
4.2 mi·16 min·Lake City Road
5
Continue on Seminary Street
0.8 mi·3 min·Seminary Street
6
Turn right onto Cleveland Street
224 ft·9 sec·Cleveland Street
7
Arrive at destination
Cleveland Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Hardtner, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 3
3 decision points cluster between mile 22.8 and 40.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
22.8 mi into trip|~34m in|US 160
Turn left onto US 160
Navigation decision point
3
35.2 mi into trip|~52m in|Lake City Road
Turn right onto Lake City Road
Navigation decision point
4
40.1 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|Cleveland Street
Turn right onto Cleveland Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.94 one way
$11.87 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$6.55
$13.11
premium
$4.72
$7.46
$14.93
diesel
$4.80
$7.59
$15.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.1
0
$4.22
$1.93
Efficient EV
10.1
0
$3.52
$1.61
EV Truck/SUV
16.1
0
$5.63
$2.57
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 30, 2026
Origin
Hardtner, KS
Night
in Hardtner on Monday
Local time
9:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Partly Sunny
S 20 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 30 at 3:52PM CDT until June 30 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 30 at 2:52PM MDT until June 30 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Goodland KS
Destination
Lake City, KS
Night
in Lake City on Monday
Local time
9:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Partly Sunny
S 17 mph12% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 30 at 3:52PM CDT until June 30 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 30 at 2:52PM MDT until June 30 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Goodland KS
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
2 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
1h 11m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 offers a mixed drive experience, with 31% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on Hackberry Road, US 160, and Lake City Road. The longest uninterrupted segment spans 22.6 miles on Hackberry Road, giving you a good period of steady driving. Expect a blend of potentially faster highway travel and more local road conditions as you navigate between these Kansas communities.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.6 mi on Hackberry Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 22.8 miles in near US 160.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Hardtner, KS to Lake City, KS is easy. At 1h 11m with 31% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 22.8 miles (US 160): Navigation decision point; at 35.2 miles (Lake City Road): Navigation decision point; at 40.1 miles (Cleveland Street): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 22.6 miles on Hackberry Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 22.8 miles (US 160): Navigation decision point; at 35.2 miles (Lake City Road): Navigation decision point; at 40.1 miles (Cleveland Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake City, KS before heading back.
