Jefferson City to Kennett is 255.3 miles and takes about 5h 43m via US 60 and US 63, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This all-Missouri route keeps you within the Midwest region, moving from the state capital towards the Bootheel. It’s a straightforward drive, mostly on highways, making it a practical choice for a single-day trip. Consider this drive if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground within Missouri without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
127.7 miles from Jefferson City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 60
60.4 mi
1h 11m
South Main Street
54.4 mi
1h 15m
US 63
49.4 mi
1h 3m
MO 53
34.6 mi
51m
MO 72
24.3 mi
31m
MO 25
11.6 mi
17m
Rex M Whitton Expressway
11.3 mi
13m
North Westwood Boulevard
3.9 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
US 60
— 60.4 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jefferson City, MO and Kennett, MO.
1
Start on East Wall Way
155 ft·13 sec·East Wall Way
2
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·Jefferson Street
3
Turn left onto US 50; US 63
11 mi·13 min·Rex M Whitton Expressway
4
Keep slight right at fork onto US 63
49 mi·1 hr 3 min·US 63
Toward US 63 South: RollaUse the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto North Walnut Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·North Walnut Street
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on East 18th Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·East 18th Street
7
Turn right onto Holloway Street
0.9 mi·2 min·Holloway Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
At end of road, turn left onto Salem Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Salem Avenue
9
Turn left onto MO 72
2.3 mi·3 min·MO 72
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on MO 72
22 mi·27 min·MO 72
Use the straight lane.
11
At end of road, turn left onto MO 32; MO 72
1.5 mi·2 min·MO 32; MO 72
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto MO 19
54 mi·1 hr 15 min·South Main Street
13
Turn left onto US 60
56 mi·1 hr 5 min·US 60
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60
4.8 mi·6 min·US 60
15
Turn straight onto US 60 Business; US 67 Business
1.6 mi·2 min·North Westwood Boulevard
16
Continue on US 60 Business; US 67 Business
0.3 mi·25 sec·State Street
17
Continue on US 60 Business; US 67 Business
2.3 mi·3 min·North Westwood Boulevard
18
Turn slight left
133 ft·7 sec
19
Turn slight left onto MO 53
35 mi·51 min·MO 53
20
At end of road, turn right onto MO 25
12 mi·17 min·MO 25
21
Turn right onto US 412; MO 84
1.3 mi·2 min·1st Street
22
Turn left onto Kennett Street
134 ft·3 sec·Kennett Street
23
Arrive at destination
Kennett Street
Trip Plan
For this 255.3-mile drive, a morning departure from Jefferson City will allow you to arrive in Kennett with plenty of daylight. With a total estimated duration of 5 hours and 43 minutes, and one recommended stop, you'll have flexibility in pacing your journey. The fuel cost is estimated around $40, so ensure your tank is full before you leave, especially before any longer stretches on US 60. Keep an eye on the mileage as you approach your destination to prepare for the shift to surface roads.
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 127.7 miles from Jefferson City, MO, or about 2h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.4 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 56 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.7 miles or 2h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kennett, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jefferson City, MO 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 Jefferson City, MO
This is one driving day of about 255.3 miles and 5h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Jefferson City, MO.
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 US 60 for about 60.4 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 87.2 — 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|Jefferson Street
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
Navigation decision point
7
11.6 mi into trip|~14m in|US 63
Keep slight right at fork onto US 63 toward US 63 South: Rolla
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 63 South: Rolla
6
61 mi into trip|~1h 18m in|North Walnut Street
Turn left onto North Walnut Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
62.9 mi into trip|~1h 23m in|MO 72
Turn left onto MO 72
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
87.2 mi into trip|~1h 55m in|MO 32; MO 72
At end of road, turn left onto MO 32; MO 72
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.59 one way
$85.17 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$46.47
$92.93
premium
$5.25
$52.80
$105.60
diesel
$6.18
$62.11
$124.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.6
0
$26.81
$12.25
Efficient EV
63.8
0
$22.34
$10.21
EV Truck/SUV
102.1
1
$35.74
$16.34
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Jefferson City, MO
Night
in Jefferson City on Tuesday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny
SE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kennett, MO
Night
in Kennett on Tuesday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
SE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
70°F
Houston, MO
128 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
4 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
5h 43m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 is mostly highway, with 76% of the 255.3 miles on high-speed roads like US 60 and US 63. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 60.4 miles on US 60, offering a good pace for covering distance. As you get closer to Kennett, expect the transition from primarily highway driving to more surface streets on South Main Street.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.4 mi on US 60.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 60 and South Main Street. 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 Jefferson Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 255.3 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 (Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61 miles (North Walnut Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 43m. Total distance: 255.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 60.4 miles on US 60. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 Kennett, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 2 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61 miles (North Walnut Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Kennett, MO before the return drive.
