Hutchinson to Hill City is 180.6 miles and takes about 3h 32m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward journey across the state. Expect a mixed drive experience with a significant portion on the highway, making it a manageable one-day trip. It's a practical option if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two points without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
90.3 miles from Hutchinson, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
90.5 mi
1h 30m
KS 14
49.2 mi
59m
US 283
21.2 mi
31m
15th Road
7.5 mi
10m
US 40 Bus
3.5 mi
5m
Nickerson Boulevard
3.4 mi
5m
KS 156
2.3 mi
3m
West 5th Avenue
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 90.5 mi, about 1h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hutchinson, KS and Hill City, KS.
1
Start on this road
62 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto East 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·21 sec·East 7th Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·North Main Street
4
Turn right onto West 5th Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·West 5th Avenue
5
Continue on Nickerson Boulevard
3.4 mi·5 min·Nickerson Boulevard
6
Continue on North Wilson Road
0.2 mi·23 sec·North Wilson Road
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·25 sec
Toward Lyons, K-14 NORTH, K-96 WEST
8
Merge onto KS 14; KS 96
49 mi·59 min·KS 14; KS 96
9
Turn right onto KS 156
2.3 mi·3 min·KS 156
10
Turn left onto KS 140
0.5 mi·1 min·15th Street
11
Turn right onto KS 14
7.5 mi·10 min·15th Road
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
13
Merge onto I 70; US 40
90 mi·1 hr 30 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
14
Take the exit onto US 40 Business
0.2 mi·25 sec·US 40 Business
Toward US 40 Business: WaKeeney, Hill City
15
Turn right onto US 40 Bus
3.5 mi·5 min·US 40 Bus
16
Continue on US 283
21 mi·31 min·US 283
17
Turn right onto US 24
0.2 mi·38 sec·West Main Street
18
Turn left onto North Pomeroy Avenue
61 ft·2 sec·North Pomeroy Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
North Pomeroy Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour 32-minute duration, this route is comfortably a single-day trip, so you can leave Hutchinson at your leisure. There's only one recommended stop, suggesting you can make good time. With a fuel cost estimated at $28, it's an economical journey. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 90.5-mile stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, as services can be spaced out in this region. Planning your departure to account for any potential daylight savings or local time differences will ensure a smooth arrival in Hill City.
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 90.3 miles from Hutchinson, KS, or about 1h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 90.5 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 40 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90.3 miles or 1h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hill City, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hutchinson, 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 Hutchinson, KS
This is one driving day of about 180.6 miles and 3h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Hutchinson, 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 90.5 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 0 and 155.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 7th Avenue
Turn right onto East 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|West 5th Avenue
Turn right onto West 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
4.9 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the ramp toward Lyons, K-14 NORTH, K-96 WEST
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Lyons, K-14 NORTH, K-96 WEST
5
155.4 mi into trip|~2h 54m in|US 40 Business
Take the exit onto US 40 Business toward US 40 Business: WaKeeney, Hill City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 40 Business: WaKeeney, Hill City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.23 one way
$56.47 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$31.00
$62.00
premium
$4.89
$34.75
$69.51
diesel
$5.61
$39.87
$79.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 63.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.2
0
$18.96
$8.67
Efficient EV
45.2
0
$15.80
$7.22
EV Truck/SUV
72.2
0
$25.28
$11.56
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (67% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Hutchinson, KS
Night
in Hutchinson on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hill City, KS
Night
in Hill City on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Ellsworth, KS
90 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
26 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
3h 32m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a mixed drive, with 42% of the route on highways, meaning you'll experience both faster-paced travel and potentially more local road segments. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 90.5 miles along the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. While much of the drive likely involves consistent speeds on main arteries, be prepared for potential transitions as you utilize KS 14 and US 283. The landscape will remain consistent with the Great Plains profile throughout.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 90.5 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 early in the drive near East 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 32m 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: near the start (East 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 32m. Total distance: 180.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 90.5 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: near the start (East 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Hill City, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
