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Trip from Independence, MO to Lake Winnebago, MO

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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

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Jackson and Clay counties in Missouri, United States, that is one of two county seats in Jackson County

Independence, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Lake Winnebago, MO, MO

Lake Winnebago, MO

alex ohan

Trip Overview

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.

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: South Noland Road — 8.9 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Independence, MO and Lake Winnebago, MO.

1

Start on East Kansas Avenue

145 ft · 8 sec · East Kansas Avenue
2

Turn right onto South Lynn Street

394 ft · 22 sec · South Lynn Street
3

Turn left onto East Walnut Street

466 ft · 25 sec · East Walnut Street
4

Turn right onto South Noland Road

8.9 mi · 14 min · South Noland Road
5

Turn left onto MO 350

2.8 mi · 4 min · Blue Parkway
6

Continue on US 50

2.5 mi · 3 min · US 50
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

447 ft · 13 sec
Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
9

Merge onto MO 291

4.6 mi · 6 min · MO 291
10

Turn left onto Lake Winnebago Drive

0.3 mi · 1 min · Lake Winnebago Drive
11

Turn right onto Seneca Lane

0.3 mi · 1 min · Seneca Lane
12

At end of road, turn left onto Lake Winnebago Drive

369 ft · 20 sec · Lake Winnebago Drive
13

Turn right onto Mandan Lane

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Mandan Lane
14

Continue on Iroquois Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Iroquois Drive
15

Continue on Lake Winnebago Drive

0.3 mi · 1 min · Lake Winnebago Drive
16

Turn left onto Mescalero

231 ft · 10 sec · Mescalero
17

Arrive at destination

Mescalero

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

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.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Lynn Street

Turn right onto South Lynn Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Walnut Street

Turn left onto East Walnut Street

Navigation decision point

6
14.4 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
6
14.6 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
6
19.9 mi into trip | ~32m in | Lake Winnebago Drive

At end of road, turn left onto Lake Winnebago Drive

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.24 one way

$6.48 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Sep 4, 2026

Origin

Independence, MO

Late night in Independence on Saturday

Local time

5:53 AM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lake Winnebago, MO

Late night in Lake Winnebago on Saturday

Local time

5:53 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°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

2 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

36m 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?

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.

47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on South Noland Road.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

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.

Driving Effort 5/10

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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,042 ft 802 ft

Total Climb

352 ft

Total Descent

423 ft

Highest Point

1,042 ft

~15 mi in

Elevation Range

240 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Independence, MO

Full guide →

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

  • Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Harry S. Truman, located in I...
  • Temple Lot — Geographical location important in Latter Day Saint history
  • Harry S. Truman National Historic Site — national Historic Site of the United States in Missouri

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 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.9 miles on South Noland Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Winnebago, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Independence, MO or browse trips ending in Lake Winnebago, MO.

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