Leawood, KS to Carbondale, KS is 74.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 31 minutes via KS 10, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Kansas. You'll experience a mixed drive, so expect some variations in road type and speed. It's a short enough journey to comfortably complete in a single day, making it ideal for a quick getaway or errand.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.2 miles from Leawood, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
KS 10
27.8 mi
30m
North 300 Road
12.5 mi
15m
West 157th Street
9.8 mi
12m
East 1300 Road
9.4 mi
10m
I 435
8.3 mi
9m
US 75
2.1 mi
2m
State Line Road
1.3 mi
2m
Lee Boulevard
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
KS 10
— 27.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leawood, KS and Carbondale, KS.
1
Start on West 90th Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·West 90th Street
2
Turn right onto Lee Boulevard
0.7 mi·1 min·Lee Boulevard
3
Turn left onto West 95th Street
0.4 mi·53 sec·West 95th Street
4
Turn right onto State Line Road
1.3 mi·2 min·State Line Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·33 sec
6
Merge onto I 435; US 50
8.3 mi·9 min·I 435; US 50
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·27 sec
Exit 1BToward KS 10 West: LawrenceUse the slight right lane.
8
Continue on KS 10
28 mi·30 min·KS 10
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Toward US 59: OttawaUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto US 59
0.1 mi·15 sec·Iowa Street
11
Continue on US 59
9.4 mi·10 min·East 1300 Road
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward US 56: Olathe, Council Grove
13
Turn right onto US 56
12 mi·15 min·North 300 Road
14
Continue on US 56
9.8 mi·12 min·West 157th Street
15
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
16
Merge onto US 75
2.1 mi·2 min·US 75
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
18
Turn left onto East 137th Street
175 ft·4 sec·East 137th Street
19
Continue on Main Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·Main Street
20
Turn left onto South 4th Street
130 ft·5 sec·South 4th Street
21
Arrive at destination
South 4th Street
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over an hour and a half, this trip offers a lot of flexibility. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive well before lunch, or head out in the afternoon. There are no designated stops mentioned, so plan your own break if needed, perhaps around the midpoint of your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 27.8-mile stretch on KS 10, as services might be less frequent. Since this is a single-day trip, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37.2 miles from Leawood, KS, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.8 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 16 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.2 miles or 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carbondale, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Leawood, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Leawood, KS
This is one driving day of about 74.4 miles and 1h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Leawood, KS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on KS 10 for about 27.8 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 74 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.7 mi into trip|~6m in|I 435; US 50
Merge onto I 435; US 50
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B
Toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
6
39.3 mi into trip|~46m in
Take the exit toward US 59: Ottawa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 59: Ottawa
5
49.1 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the exit toward US 56: Olathe, Council Grove
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 56: Olathe, Council Grove
5
74 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|East 137th Street
Turn left onto East 137th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.63 one way
$23.26 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$12.77
$25.54
premium
$4.89
$14.32
$28.64
diesel
$5.61
$16.43
$32.85
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.3
0
$7.81
$3.57
Efficient EV
18.6
0
$6.51
$2.98
EV Truck/SUV
29.8
0
$10.42
$4.76
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Leawood, KS
Morning
in Leawood on Tuesday
Local time
8:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Carbondale, KS
Morning
in Carbondale on Tuesday
Local time
8:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
S 10 to 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
64°F
De Soto, KS
37 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
12 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 31m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...
15 mi from route
~38 min detour
Free
near mile 74.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a mixed drive profile, with 51% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches of faster-paced driving interspersed with more local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 27.8 miles on KS 10, offering a good segment of consistent travel. As you progress, the road character shifts, moving from more suburban-feeling roads near Leawood to the open landscapes typical of the Great Plains.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.8 mi on KS 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 435; US 50.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (I 435; US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Leawood, KS to Carbondale, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Council Grove along the way.
Council Grove
49.1 mi in|~58m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 31m. Total distance: 74.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.8 miles on KS 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Carbondale, KS before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 2.7 miles (I 435; US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carbondale, KS before heading back.
