Kissee Mills to Columbia is 211.5 miles and takes about 4h 10m via US 54 and I-44, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Midwest, traveling from one Missouri point to another. The drive is predominantly on highways, making it a straightforward option for a single-day excursion. With a recommended single day for travel, you can expect a relatively uninterrupted drive, focusing on covering ground efficiently. Consider this route if you need a direct path between these two locations with minimal fuss.
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
105.7 miles from Kissee Mills, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 54
59.1 mi
1h 8m
I 44
46 mi
49m
US 63
26.1 mi
28m
MO 5
23.7 mi
29m
US 160
15.4 mi
23m
American Legion Memorial Highway
12.2 mi
14m
US Highway 65
12 mi
13m
Schoolcraft Freeway
10.7 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
US 54
— 59.1 mi, about 1h 8m
Traffic on I-44
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,682 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,963
Quietest
2 AM
~197 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kissee Mills, MO and Columbia, MO.
1
Start on MO O
97 ft·2 sec·MO O
2
Turn slight left onto US 160
1.1 mi·1 min·US 160
3
Turn sharp left onto US 160; MO 76
2.9 mi·4 min·US 160; MO 76
4
Enter roundabout onto US 160
126 ft·2 sec·US 160
5
Continue on US 160
11 mi·16 min·US 160
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
7
Merge onto US 65
1.3 mi·1 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
8
Continue on US 65
12 mi·13 min·US Highway 65
9
Continue on US 65
11 mi·12 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
10
Continue on US 65
11 mi·13 min·Schoolcraft Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi·54 sec
Toward I 44 East: Saint Louis
12
Merge onto I 44
46 mi·49 min·I 44
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 129Toward MO 64, MO 5, MO 32: Hartville
14
Turn left onto MO 5; MO 32; MO 64
1.6 mi·2 min·South Jefferson Avenue
15
Continue on MO 5
24 mi·29 min·MO 5
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward US 54: Camdenton, Nevada, Osage Beach, Jefferson City
17
Turn right onto US 54
31 mi·35 min·US 54
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn straight onto US 54
28 mi·32 min·US 54
19
Take the exit onto US 63
26 mi·28 min·US 63
Toward US 63 North: Columbia
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward MO 740
21
Turn left onto MO 740
2.3 mi·3 min·East Stadium Boulevard
22
Turn right onto MO 163
1.0 mi·2 min·South Providence Road
23
Arrive at destination
MO 163
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4h 10m drive, aim for an early morning departure from Kissee Mills to take advantage of daylight and avoid potential afternoon traffic. The 211.5-mile distance is easily manageable in one day, so you have flexibility with stops. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is around $32, and services might be less frequent on certain highway stretches. The longest continuous stretch is nearly 60 miles on US 54, so plan a break before or after that segment if needed. You'll primarily be on US 54 and I-44, so check for any reported construction or delays on those main arteries before you leave.
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 105.7 miles from Kissee Mills, MO, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.1 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 47 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.7 miles or 2h 6m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Columbia, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kissee Mills, 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 Kissee Mills, MO
This is one driving day of about 211.5 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Kissee Mills, 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 54 for about 59.1 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 1.1 and 122.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip|~1m in|US 160; MO 76
Turn sharp left onto US 160; MO 76
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
4 mi into trip|~6m in|US 160
Enter roundabout onto US 160
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
97.1 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Take the exit toward MO 64, MO 5, MO 32: Hartville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 129
Toward MO 64, MO 5, MO 32: Hartville
5
122.5 mi into trip|~2h 26m in
Take the exit toward US 54: Camdenton, Nevada, Osage Beach, Jefferson City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 54: Camdenton, Nevada, Osage Beach, J...
5
122.7 mi into trip|~2h 27m in|US 54
Turn right onto US 54
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.23 one way
$62.47 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$34.48
$68.96
premium
$4.72
$39.27
$78.54
diesel
$4.80
$39.94
$79.87
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: 74 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.5
0
$22.21
$10.15
Efficient EV
52.9
0
$18.51
$8.46
EV Truck/SUV
84.6
1
$29.61
$13.54
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Kissee Mills, MO
Morning
in Kissee Mills on Sunday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 0 to 5 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Columbia, MO
Morning
in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
SW 1 to 7 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
91°F
Morgan, MO
106 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
1 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 10m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and where the first Union general was killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focuse...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 43.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 91% of the 211.5 miles on high-speed roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 59.1 miles on US 54 before transitioning to other highways. Expect fairly continuous driving with exits spaced out, especially on the longer highway segments. The final portion will likely involve more local roads as you approach your destination.
91% 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: 59.1 mi on US 54.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 54 and I 44. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near US 160; MO 76.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 10m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (US 160; MO 76): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4 miles (US 160): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 97.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,390 ft558 ft
Total Climb
854 ft
Total Descent
1,133 ft
Highest Point
1,390 ft
~90.6 mi in
Elevation Range
832 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kissee Mills, MO and Columbia, MO, road signs point toward Nevada, Osage Beach and Jefferson City.
Columbia is a bustling college town in Missouri, halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City. It is home of the University of Missouri (also known as 'Mizzou') as well as two other post-secondary institutions Stephens College and Columbia College.
Top landmarks
•First Christian Church — historic church in Columbia, Missouri, United States
•Columbia Cemetery — cemetery in Columbia, Missouri, United States
•David Guitar House — historic house in Missouri, United States
The longest stretch is about 59.1 miles on US 54. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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: at 1.1 miles (US 160; MO 76): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4 miles (US 160): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 97.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Columbia, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
