Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
30.8 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Junction City, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Riley County, KS
David Guerrero
This 30.8-mile drive from Junction City, KS to Riley County, KS will take you about 44 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily travel on KS 18 and Tuttle Creek Boulevard, with a portion on South Seth Child Road. With only 37% of the drive on highways, expect a more local feel. The estimated fuel cost is around $5, which is quite manageable. Since it's a short distance, you have plenty of flexibility for when you want to depart and how you structure your time. This route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape throughout your journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| KS 18 | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| Tuttle Creek Boulevard | 7 mi | 8m |
| South Seth Child Road | 5.6 mi | 8m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| West 6th Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| J Hill Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Jefferson Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Junction City, KS and Riley County, KS.
Start on North Jefferson Street
Turn left onto West 6th Street
Turn right onto J Hill Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 70; US 40; KS 18
Take the exit onto KS 18
Turn left onto KS 18
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on K-113
Enter roundabout onto US 24
Continue on US 24
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West 6th Street
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I-70 East, US 40 East, KS 18 East: Topeka
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto KS 18 toward KS 18 East: Manhattan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto US 24 / Tuttle Creek Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$4.55 one way
$9.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $5.02 | $10.04 |
| premium | $4.72 | $5.72 | $11.44 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $5.82 | $11.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Morning in Junction City on Sunday
Local time
9:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Riley County on Sunday
Local time
9:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Sunny
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
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.
The character of this drive is a mixed bag, with just over a third of it being highway driving. You'll encounter stretches of faster travel on KS 18, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 11.3 miles. As you transition to Tuttle Creek Boulevard and South Seth Child Road, expect a change in pace, likely involving more local traffic and potentially lower speed limits. This blend means you won't be stuck in a monotonous interstate crawl, but rather experience a dynamic shift in road conditions as you near your destination.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 6th 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 30.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 (West 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.6 miles (KS 18): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
477 ft
Total Descent
299 ft
Highest Point
1,363 ft
~26.4 mi in
Elevation Range
326 ft
Founded 1854
Junction City is the seat of Geary County, in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. It is a small city of around 23,000 people.
Top landmarks
Founded 1855
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 30.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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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