Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 18m
Distance
186 mi
299 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lawton, OK
Wikimedia Commons
Blackwell, OK
Wikimedia Commons
This 186-mile journey from Lawton, Oklahoma, to Blackwell, Oklahoma, is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 18 minutes. You'll spend about 51% of your time on major highways, including portions of the World War II Veterans Memorial Highway and the Will Rogers Expressway, as you traverse the Great Plains region. With an estimated fuel cost of $28, this drive offers a straightforward and efficient way to travel between these two Oklahoma cities. The route is designed for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without the need for an overnight stop.
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
93 miles from Lawton, OK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| World War II Veterans Memorial Highway | 85 mi | 1h 25m |
| Harry E. Bailey Turnpike | 61.2 mi | 1h 2m |
| Will Rogers Expressway | 23.6 mi | 28m |
| Pioneer Expressway | 4.6 mi | 4m |
| Shannon Miller Parkway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| West Doolin Avenue | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Bill W. Burgess, Junior Highway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| US 281 Business | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Lawton, OK and Blackwell, OK.
Start on Southwest Gore Boulevard
Turn left onto Northwest 1st Street
Turn left onto Southwest Gore Boulevard
Turn right onto US 281 Business
Take the ramp onto US 281 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto US 281 Business
Merge onto I 44; US 277; US 281
Continue on I 44; US 62; US 277; US 281
Continue on I 44
Continue on I 44; US 62
Keep slight right at fork onto I 44
Merge onto I 35; I 44; OK 66
Continue on I 35; OK 66
Continue on I 35; US 77
Take the exit
Turn right onto OK 11
Turn right onto US 177
Arrive at destination
For this 3-hour and 18-minute drive covering 186 miles, consider an early morning departure from Lawton to maximize your day. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility to adjust your pace. The estimated fuel cost is around $28, so ensure your tank is full before you leave. A key piece of advice for this route: keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 85-mile stretch on the World War II Veterans Memorial Highway, as services can be spaced out in this section of the Great Plains.
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.
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 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93 miles or 1h 40m 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 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Blackwell, OK than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Lawton, OK 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 Lawton, OK
This is one driving day of about 186 miles and 3h 18m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
93 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.
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 93 miles from Lawton, OK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before World War II Veterans Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 85 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 185.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto US 281 Business toward I 44 East, US 277 North, US 281 North: Oklahoma City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 44 / Will Rogers Expressway toward I 44 East, OK 66 East: Tulsa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward OK 11: Blackwell, Medford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto OK 11 / West Doolin Avenue toward OK 11 East: Blackwell
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto US 177 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$29.08 one way
$58.16 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $31.93 | $63.86 |
| premium | $4.89 | $35.79 | $71.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $41.07 | $82.13 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.28
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 55.8 | 0 | $19.53 | $8.93 |
| Efficient EV | 46.5 | 0 | $16.28 | $7.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 74.4 | 0 | $26.04 | $11.90 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Lawton on Tuesday
Local time
4:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Destination
Late night in Blackwell on Tuesday
Local time
4:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
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
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
The outdoor symbolic memorial is a place of quiet reflection, honoring victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995. It encompasses the now sacred soil where the Al...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with a significant portion, 51%, utilizing major highways. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 85 miles on the World War II Veterans Memorial Highway, offering a chance for steady progress. While much of the drive will be on well-maintained roadways, the 'mixed drive' profile suggests you'll encounter a variety of road types, so be prepared for potential shifts in speed and road conditions as you travel north. This blend ensures you're not stuck on a monotonous interstate for the entire journey.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near US 281 Business.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 186 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (US 281 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 85.3 miles (I 44 / Will Rogers Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 182 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
497 ft
Total Descent
591 ft
Highest Point
1,308 ft
~26.6 mi in
Elevation Range
372 ft
Lawton is in the Great Plains Country region of southwest Oklahoma.
Blackwell is in the Red Carpet Country region of Oklahoma. A Cherokee Outlet land run town from 1893, and regrettably a rather sordid sundown town for a good while after. Its big money-maker, a zinc smelter, would later come back to haunt the town with long-lasting environmental damage.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 18m. Total distance: 186 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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