Origin
Hillsdale, MO
Morning in Hillsdale on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hillsdale, MO to Saint Charles, MO
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hillsdale, MO
Lena Khrupina
Saint Charles, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hillsdale to Saint Charles is 15.6 miles and takes about 23 minutes via I 70, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Missouri, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on the interstate, making it a quick and easy option for a local hop. You'll find the journey efficient, with minimal time spent on the road. Consider this a simple transit rather than a destination drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 10.3 mi | 13m |
| Lucas-Hunt Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Fifth Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Florissant Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Saint Louis Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| University Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Natural Bridge Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 10.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hillsdale, MO and Saint Charles, MO.
1
Start on Saint Louis Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint Louis Avenue
2
Turn right onto Lucas-Hunt Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Lucas-Hunt Road
3
Turn left onto MO 115
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Natural Bridge Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Enter roundabout onto MO N
49 ft
·
0 sec
·
Florissant Road
5
Continue on MO N
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Florissant Road
6
Continue on MO N
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
University Boulevard
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 70 West
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward I 70 West: Wentzville
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 70
10 mi
·
13 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto I 70 Business
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 70 Business
Exit 229B
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
231 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass Pro Drive, Ameristar Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12
Turn slight right onto I 70 Business
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Fifth Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Jefferson Street
14
Turn left onto North Second Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Second Street
15
Arrive at destination
North Second Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 14.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road
Turn left onto MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MO N / Florissant Road
Enter roundabout onto MO N / Florissant Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Wentzville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 70 West: Wentzville
7
14.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 70 Business
Take the exit onto I 70 Business toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 229B
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
9
14.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass Pro Drive, Ameristar Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.44 one way
$4.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.68 | $5.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.00 | $6.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Saint Charles, MO
Morning in Saint Charles on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
17 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
23m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 67% of the drive on interstate. You'll experience a 10.3-mile stretch on I 70, providing a consistent, high-speed experience for a significant portion of the journey. The remaining segments will involve local roads like Lucas-Hunt Road and South Fifth Street, offering a brief change of pace before you reach your destination. Expect a smooth, direct drive with minimal complex navigation.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Lucas-Hunt Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (MO N / Florissant Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Saint Charles, MO
Full guide →St. Charles, Missouri is outside of St. Louis on the bank of the Missouri River. It was Missouri's first state capital and was one of the first stops by Lewis and Clark on their journey to explore Louisiana Territory. The historic Main Street has largely been restored to its 1812-era appearance including gas lights a boardwalk and is lined with shops selling artwork, handicrafts, home decorations, antiques. There are also many restaurants.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Saint Charles, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 1.6 miles (MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (MO N / Florissant Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Charles, MO before heading back.
How this page is built
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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