Kansas City, MO to Morgan, MO is 186.5 miles and takes about 4h 5m via MO 7 and MO 13, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Midwest region of Missouri to another part of the same state, offering a straightforward drive. With over half of the route on highways, you'll experience a mix of faster travel and potentially more local roads. This route is well-suited for a single-day excursion, making it a convenient option for a quick getaway.
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
93.3 miles from Kansas City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MO 7
55.6 mi
1h 4m
MO 13
40.5 mi
46m
Bruce R. Watkins Drive
37.3 mi
44m
West Broadway Street
36 mi
52m
MO A
6.2 mi
10m
East Pine Street
6.1 mi
10m
MO PP
3.1 mi
12m
MO C
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
MO 7
— 55.6 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kansas City, MO and Morgan, MO.
1
Start on Oak Street
20 ft·4 sec·Oak Street
2
Turn right onto East 12th Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·East 12th Street
3
Turn right onto Charlotte Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·Charlotte Street
4
Turn left onto East Truman Road
395 ft·11 sec·East Truman Road
5
Turn right onto Campbell Street
68 ft·1 sec·Campbell Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward US 71 South: Joplin
7
Merge onto US 71
37 mi·44 min·Bruce R. Watkins Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto MO 7
0.2 mi·19 sec·MO 7
Exit 157Toward MO 7 South: Clinton
9
Turn slight left onto MO 7
55 mi·1 hr 3 min·MO 7
Exit 157Toward MO 7 South: ClintonUse the left lane.
10
Continue on MO 13
40 mi·46 min·MO 13
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward MO 13 Business, MO 32: Bolivar, Fair Play
12
Turn left onto MO 32; MO 13 Business
36 mi·52 min·West Broadway Street
13
Turn right onto MO A
1.0 mi·1 min·MO A
14
Turn slight left onto MO A
5.3 mi·9 min·MO A
15
Turn right onto MO C; US Historic 66
0.5 mi·1 min·MO C; US Historic 66
16
At end of road, turn left onto MO C
338 ft·6 sec·North Front Street
17
Turn slight right onto MO C
6.1 mi·10 min·East Pine Street
18
Turn slight right onto MO PP
186 ft·8 sec·MO PP
19
Turn right onto MO PP
3.1 mi·11 min·MO PP
20
Arrive at destination
Orchid Drive
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour drive, departing in the morning will give you ample time to reach Morgan, MO, without feeling rushed. Since it's a single-day trip, flexibility is key; you can adjust your departure time based on your schedule. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the 55.6-mile stretch on MO 7, to ensure you have enough to reach the next available service area. The fuel cost estimate of $28 is a helpful guide for budgeting this relatively short trip.
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 93.3 miles from Kansas City, MO, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.6 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 41 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.3 miles or 1h 50m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Morgan, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kansas 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 Kansas City, MO
This is one driving day of about 186.5 miles and 4h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Kansas 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 MO 7 for about 55.6 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.3 — 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|East 12th Street
Turn right onto East 12th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Campbell Street
Turn right onto Campbell Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|US 71 / Bruce R. Watkins Drive
Merge onto US 71 / Bruce R. Watkins Drive
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
38.1 mi into trip|~46m in|MO 7
Take the exit onto MO 7 toward MO 7 South: Clinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 157
Toward MO 7 South: Clinton
5
38.3 mi into trip|~46m in|MO 7
Turn slight left onto MO 7 toward MO 7 South: Clinton
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 157
Toward MO 7 South: Clinton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.01 one way
$62.01 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg65 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$33.78
$67.55
premium
$5.18
$38.06
$76.11
diesel
$5.35
$39.28
$78.56
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56
0
$19.58
$8.95
Efficient EV
46.6
0
$16.32
$7.46
EV Truck/SUV
74.6
0
$26.11
$11.94
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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 May 20, 2026
Origin
Kansas City, MO
Afternoon
in Kansas City on Wednesday
Local time
4:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNE 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 20 at 5:19AM CDT until May 23 at 10:36PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 20 at 5:19AM CDT until May 22 at 3:34AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Destination
Morgan, MO
Afternoon
in Morgan on Wednesday
Local time
4:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Cloudy
NE 8 mph42% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 20 at 5:19AM CDT until May 23 at 10:36PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 20 at 5:19AM CDT until May 22 at 3:34AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
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
15 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
4h 5m 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 drive features a 52% highway share, meaning you'll spend about half the time on higher-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch on MO 7 covers 55.6 miles, offering a good period of consistent cruising. As you transition from highway to surface roads, expect a noticeable change in speed and traffic patterns. The overall profile is mixed highway and surface, so be prepared for both efficient travel and more local road navigation.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.6 mi on MO 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 12th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 5m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Campbell Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 71 / Bruce R. Watkins Drive): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,318 ft746 ft
Total Climb
759 ft
Total Descent
404 ft
Highest Point
1,318 ft
~173.2 mi in
Elevation Range
572 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kansas City, MO to Morgan, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Fair Play along the way.
Kansas City is a major Midwestern metropolitan area that spreads across the border of Missouri and Kansas. It is a city that tends to hide itself from tourists. Reputed to have more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world except for Rome, it can be a beautiful city, too. It is unique in that it is split down the middle by the state line of Kansas and Missouri.
Top landmarks
•The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art — art museum in Kansas City, Missouri
•Union Station — main railway station in Kansas City, Missouri, United States
The longest stretch is about 55.6 miles on MO 7. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Campbell Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 71 / Bruce R. Watkins Drive): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Morgan, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
