Hutchinson to Louisburg is 198.4 miles and takes about 3h 58m via I 35 and Limestone Road, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Kansas, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the Great Plains. It's a fairly straightforward trip, mostly on major highways, making it a good option for a single-day excursion. Expect a fairly direct route with minimal complexity.
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
99.2 miles from Hutchinson, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
59.4 mi
59m
Limestone Road
35.9 mi
41m
KS 68
29.8 mi
48m
Ken Kennedy Freeway
26.6 mi
29m
US 50
24.7 mi
29m
KS 150
16.7 mi
19m
I 135
1.7 mi
1m
East 11th Avenue
1.3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 59.4 mi, about 59m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~557 veh/hr typical
· worst 805
Quietest
2 AM
~55 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Hutchinson, KS and Louisburg, KS.
1
Start on this road
347 ft·27 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·46 sec·East 8th Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Maple Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·North Maple Street
4
Turn right onto East 11th Avenue
1.3 mi·3 min·East 11th Avenue
5
Turn left onto KS 61
27 mi·29 min·Ken Kennedy Freeway
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·1 min
7
Merge onto I 135; US 81
1.7 mi·1 min·I 135; US 81
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward US 56, McPherson, Marion
9
Turn right onto US 56
0.2 mi·16 sec·East Kansas Avenue
10
Continue on US 56
36 mi·41 min·Limestone Road
11
Enter roundabout onto KS 150
186 ft·3 sec·KS 150
12
Continue on KS 150
17 mi·19 min·KS 150
13
Turn left onto US 50
25 mi·29 min·US 50
14
Enter roundabout
364 ft·4 sec
Toward Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka
15
Continue
0.2 mi·10 sec
Toward Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka
16
Enter roundabout
30 ft·0 sec
Toward I 35 North: Kansas City
17
Continue
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 35 North: Kansas City
18
Merge onto I 35
59 mi·59 min·I 35
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward KS 68: Ottawa, Louisburg
20
Turn right onto KS 68
20 mi·35 min·KS 68
21
Enter roundabout onto KS 68
184 ft·3 sec·KS 68
22
Continue on KS 68
5.4 mi·6 min·KS 68
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Continue on KS 68
4.1 mi·5 min·KS 68
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
24
Turn right onto Peoria Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·Peoria Street
25
Turn right onto South 2nd Street
146 ft·8 sec·South 2nd Street
26
Turn right
39 ft·2 sec
27
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 3h 58m drive, leaving in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and allow for flexibility. Since it's a single-day trip, you can easily adjust your departure time. The longest stretch without a major town is about 59.4 miles on I 35, so plan your fuel needs accordingly, especially given the estimated $31 fuel cost. You'll have one scheduled stop in the data, but consider a brief break around the halfway point if needed. Pay attention to signage when you exit I 35 onto Limestone Road and KS 68.
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 99.2 miles from Hutchinson, KS, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.4 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 44 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.2 miles or 1h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Louisburg, 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 198.4 miles and 3h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 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 I 35 for about 59.4 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 168.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East 8th Avenue
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
30.4 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward US 56, McPherson, Marion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 56, McPherson, Marion
6
108.2 mi into trip|~2h 8m in
Enter roundabout toward Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka
6
108.4 mi into trip|~2h 8m in
Enter roundabout toward I 35 North: Kansas City
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 35 North: Kansas City
5
168.1 mi into trip|~3h 9m in
Take the exit toward KS 68: Ottawa, Louisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward KS 68: Ottawa, Louisburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.10 one way
$66.19 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$36.11
$72.22
premium
$5.25
$41.03
$82.06
diesel
$6.28
$49.02
$98.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.5
0
$20.83
$9.52
Efficient EV
49.6
0
$17.36
$7.94
EV Truck/SUV
79.4
0
$27.78
$12.70
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Hutchinson, KS
Morning
in Hutchinson on Thursday
Local time
7:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 8 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Louisburg, KS
Morning
in Louisburg on Thursday
Local time
7:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
SSE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
6 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 58m 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?
With 80% of this route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on I 35. The longest continuous stretch on the interstate measures 59.4 miles. You'll transition to Limestone Road and KS 68 for the final portion, shifting from high-speed highway cruising to more typical surface road driving. Expect a change in the pace of traffic and exit frequency as you leave the interstate.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.4 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Limestone Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 58m drive. You will face about 21 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 (East 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 108.2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,577 ft896 ft
Total Climb
362 ft
Total Descent
806 ft
Highest Point
1,577 ft
~42.5 mi in
Elevation Range
681 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hutchinson, KS and Louisburg, KS, road signs point toward Mcpherson, Marion, Kansas City, Wichita and Topeka.
The longest stretch is about 59.4 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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 (East 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 108.2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Louisburg, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
