Lathrop, MO to Columbia, MO is 139.9 miles and takes about 2h 49m via U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region from start to finish. Expect a route with frequent turns, indicating a more local and less direct journey than a pure interstate trip. With a recommended 1-day drive, this trip is well-suited for a single day's travel, allowing ample time to reach your destination without feeling rushed. Consider this drive if you prefer a route that includes more local road experiences.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
70 miles from Lathrop, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Main Street
45.2 mi
1h 1m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
21.6 mi
23m
MO 116
10.5 mi
13m
North Street
5.2 mi
6m
North Providence Road
1.2 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
0.8 mi
1m
Center Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
— 54.4 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lathrop, MO and Columbia, MO.
1
Start on Oak Street
274 ft·19 sec·Oak Street
2
Turn left onto MO 33
0.6 mi·1 min·Center Street
3
Turn right onto MO 116
5.2 mi·6 min·North Street
4
Enter roundabout onto MO 116
119 ft·2 sec·MO 116
5
Continue on MO 116
11 mi·13 min·MO 116
6
Turn right onto MO 13
45 mi·1 hr 1 min·Main Street
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 70 East, US 40 East: Columbia
8
Merge onto I 70; US 40
20 mi·21 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
9
Continue on I 70; US 40
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
0.8 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Exit 126Toward MO 163: Downtown
14
Turn right onto MO 163
1.2 mi·2 min·North Providence Road
15
Arrive at destination
MO 163
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 49m estimated duration and the 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile, it's wise to start your journey in Lathrop, MO, in the morning to maximize daylight for navigation. While this is a single-day trip, don't feel pressured to rush. The longest stretch is 54.4 miles, so plan a brief stop around that point if needed for fuel or a stretch. With a fuel cost estimated at $22, ensure your tank is adequately filled before departing Lathrop. Pay close attention to your GPS, especially when transitioning between Main Street and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, as the frequent turns are a key characteristic of this route.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 70 miles from Lathrop, MO, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.4 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 31 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70 miles or 1h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 20m
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 Lathrop, 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 Lathrop, MO
This is one driving day of about 139.9 miles and 2h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Lathrop, 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 U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway for about 54.4 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 138.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|MO 33 / Center Street
Turn left onto MO 33 / Center Street
Navigation decision point
4
5.8 mi into trip|~8m in|MO 116
Enter roundabout onto MO 116
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
61.6 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East, US 40 East: Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 East, US 40 East: Columbia
4
113.6 mi into trip|~2h 19m in|I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
138.6 mi into trip|~2h 47m in
Take the exit toward MO 163: Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 126
Toward MO 163: Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.87 one way
$43.74 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg49 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$24.01
$48.03
premium
$4.89
$26.92
$53.84
diesel
$5.61
$30.89
$61.78
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42
0
$14.69
$6.72
Efficient EV
35
0
$12.24
$5.60
EV Truck/SUV
56
0
$19.59
$8.95
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (67% 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Lathrop, MO
Late night
in Lathrop on Tuesday
Local time
5:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Columbia, MO
Late night
in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
5:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Lexington, MO
70 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
5 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
2h 49m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route leans heavily towards local roads, with only about 8% of the drive on the highway. The profile is described as 'Turn-heavy local drive,' so be prepared for frequent directional changes. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 54.4 miles on the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. This suggests that while there are some longer segments on main roads, much of the journey will involve navigating through smaller towns and intersections. The driving experience will likely be more engaging than a monotonous interstate cruise, requiring active attention to navigation.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.4 mi on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MO 33 / Center 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 2h 49m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MO 33 / Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (MO 116): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 61.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
The longest stretch is about 54.4 miles on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (MO 33 / Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (MO 116): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 61.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia, MO before heading back.
