Origin
Independence, MO
Late night in Independence on Saturday
Local time
5:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
20.9 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Winnebago, MO
alex ohan
Independence, MO to Lake Winnebago, MO is 20.9 miles and takes about 36 minutes via South Noland Road and MO 291, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Midwest region and Missouri. It's a straightforward trip that mostly uses main roads, making it a convenient option for a quick drive. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a spontaneous outing or an easy commute, offering minimal fuss for a short distance.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Noland Road | 8.9 mi | 14m |
| MO 291 | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Blue Parkway | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| US 50 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Lake Winnebago Drive | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Iroquois Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Seneca Lane | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Mandan Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, MO and Lake Winnebago, MO.
Start on East Kansas Avenue
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
Turn right onto South Noland Road
Turn left onto MO 350
Continue on US 50
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto MO 291
Turn left onto Lake Winnebago Drive
Turn right onto Seneca Lane
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Winnebago Drive
Turn right onto Mandan Lane
Continue on Iroquois Drive
Continue on Lake Winnebago Drive
Turn left onto Mescalero
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Winnebago Drive
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$3.24 one way
$6.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $3.55 | $7.11 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.05 | $8.11 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.61 | $9.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.19 | $1.00 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 Independence on Saturday
Local time
5:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Lake Winnebago on Saturday
Local time
5:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
About half of this 20.9-mile drive, roughly 47%, is on highways. You'll experience about 8.9 miles on South Noland Road, which is the longest continuous stretch on a single road. The route transitions between highway driving and surface roads, so be prepared for changes in speed limits and traffic density. Expect a mixed driving experience as you navigate from more open roads to areas with more frequent intersections.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lynn Street.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 20.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Lynn Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 14.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
352 ft
Total Descent
423 ft
Highest Point
1,042 ft
~15 mi in
Elevation Range
240 ft
Founded 1827
Independence, known as the Queen City of the Trails, is a city in western Missouri just east of Kansas City with a population of approximately 110,000. Independence's founding predates that of Kansas City, and it was home to U.S. President Harry S. Truman and the legendary actress Ginger Rogers, as well as the starting point of three of America's great Westward Trails: the Santa Fe Trail, the California Trail, and the Oregon Trail. The city also hosts numerous historical sites related to the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons"), American Civil War and Western history. While offering a full range of entertainment and lodging options for visitors, Independence generally tends to be more "quiet" than its larger neighbor to the west.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 20.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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