Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
44.4 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hardtner, KS
Christina & Peter
Sun City, KS
Fernanda Gomez de la torre
Hardtner to Sun City is 44.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via Hackberry Road and River Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward drive across open country. It's a quick hop that's perfect if you're looking for a simple transit between two points without a lot of fuss. You'll be sticking to surface roads for most of this drive, so don't expect interstate speeds. Consider this a no-frills connection for your travel plans.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hackberry Road | 22.6 mi | 33m |
| River Road | 19.1 mi | 46m |
| South Iliff Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 160 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Stolp Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Hardtner, KS and Sun City, KS.
Start on Central Avenue
Continue on US 281
Continue on US 160; US 281
Turn left onto US 281
Turn left onto West Stolp Avenue
Continue on River Road
Continue on Mingona Road
Keep slight left at fork onto River Road
Continue on Main Street
Continue on River Road
Continue on East Main Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 22.2 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.
3 decision points cluster between mile 23.5 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 281 / South Iliff Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto West Stolp Avenue
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto River Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$7.41 one way
$14.81 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
| premium | $5.25 | $9.18 | $18.36 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $10.80 | $21.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.22 | $2.84 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Hardtner on Wednesday
Local time
2:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Sun City on Wednesday
Local time
2:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you'll experience a more relaxed pace compared to highway cruising. The longest continuous stretch without a turn is 22.6 miles on Hackberry Road. You'll be navigating through rural Kansas, so anticipate open fields and quiet stretches. Since there's no highway component, your average speed will be lower, allowing you to take in the scenery at a leisurely pace.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 23.5 miles in near US 281 / South Iliff Street.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Hardtner, KS to Sun City, KS is easy. At 1h 24m with 1% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 23.5 miles (US 281 / South Iliff Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.2 miles (West Stolp Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 30.9 miles (River Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
363 ft
Total Descent
108 ft
Highest Point
1,680 ft
~44.4 mi in
Elevation Range
313 ft
Founded 1872
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 44.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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