Origin
Kiowa, KS
Late night in Kiowa on Sunday
Local time
3:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kiowa, KS to Lake City, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
40 mi
64 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kiowa, KS
Tien Nguyen
Lake City, KS
yongbing li
Trip Overview
Kiowa to Lake City is 40 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via US 281, US 160, and Main Street, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive primarily through the Great Plains region of Kansas. Expect a highway-focused experience that makes for an easy, no-fuss journey. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick relocation or a segment of a larger trip where you need to cover a short distance efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 281 | 18 mi | 26m |
| US 160 | 12.3 mi | 18m |
| Main Street | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Lake City Road | 4.2 mi | 16m |
| Seminary Street | 0.8 mi | 3m |
| Cleveland Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 7th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 281
— 18 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kiowa, KS and Lake City, KS.
1
Start on KS 2
90 ft
·
3 sec
·
North 7th Street
2
Turn right onto KS 2
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Main Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 281
18 mi
·
26 min
·
US 281
4
Turn left onto US 160
12 mi
·
18 min
·
US 160
5
Turn right onto Lake City Road
4.2 mi
·
16 min
·
Lake City Road
6
Continue on Seminary Street
0.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Seminary Street
7
Turn right onto Cleveland Street
224 ft
·
9 sec
·
Cleveland Street
8
Arrive at destination
Cleveland Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20 miles from Kiowa, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KS 2 / Main Street
Turn right onto KS 2 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 281
At end of road, turn right onto US 281
Navigation decision point
3
22.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 160
Turn left onto US 160
Navigation decision point
3
35 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
Lake City Road
Turn right onto Lake City Road
Navigation decision point
4
40 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
Cleveland Street
Turn right onto Cleveland Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.25 one way
$12.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.87 | $13.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.70 | $15.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.83 | $17.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.60 | $2.56 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lake City, KS
Late night in Lake City on Sunday
Local time
3:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°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
27 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
1h 12m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 76% of the journey on higher-speed roads. You'll spend a significant portion on US 281, including an uninterrupted stretch of 18 miles, before transitioning to US 160 and then local roads like Main Street into Lake City. The character is consistent, offering a steady pace without many dramatic shifts. It's the kind of drive where you can settle in and cover ground without much fuss.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18 mi on US 281.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 281 and US 160. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near KS 2 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Kiowa, KS to Lake City, KS is easy. At 1h 12m with 76% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (KS 2 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (US 281): Navigation decision point; at 22.7 miles (US 160): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 40 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18 miles on US 281. 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 (KS 2 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (US 281): Navigation decision point; at 22.7 miles (US 160): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake City, KS 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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