Spanning 157.1 miles across the Missouri Midwest, this drive between Lebanon and Lee's Summit is a straightforward journey typically taking 3 hours and 25 minutes. Because the trip is well-suited for a single day of travel, you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Plan for a fuel budget of approximately $24 to cover the distance. The route relies heavily on MO 7 and US 65, ensuring a direct connection between your starting point and destination. It is a highly practical drive for anyone looking to traverse this part of the state efficiently without unnecessary detours.
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
78.5 miles from Lebanon, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MO 7
70.8 mi
1h 27m
US 65
38.6 mi
49m
North Jefferson Street
28.7 mi
39m
MO 58
8.5 mi
11m
MO 291
8.3 mi
12m
North Jefferson Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
Southwest Jefferson Street
0.7 mi
1m
Southwest 3rd Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
MO 7
— 70.8 mi, about 1h 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lebanon, MO and Lee's Summit, MO.
1
Start on East Commercial Street
17 ft·4 sec·East Commercial Street
2
Turn right onto MO 5; MO 64
1.2 mi·2 min·North Jefferson Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on MO 64
29 mi·39 min·North Jefferson Street
4
Turn right onto US 65
39 mi·49 min·US 65
5
Take the exit onto MO 7
0.3 mi·33 sec·MO 7
Toward MO 7 North: Warsaw, Clinton
6
Turn left onto MO 7
28 mi·38 min·MO 7
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on MO 7; MO 13; MO 52
39 mi·44 min·MO 7; MO 13; MO 52
8
Take the exit onto MO 7
3.3 mi·3 min·MO 7
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·17 sec
Exit 160Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
10
Keep slight right at fork
243 ft·6 sec
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
11
Merge onto MO 291
8.3 mi·12 min·MO 291
12
Turn slight left onto MO 58; MO 291
8.5 mi·11 min·MO 58; MO 291
13
Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
14
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Jefferson Street
189 ft·3 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
15
Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street
0.5 mi·53 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
16
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
0.1 mi·12 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a single-day trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time to avoid local traffic. Aim for a mid-morning start to make the most of your 3-hour-and-25-minute transit time. While the route is manageable in one go, you should plan for at least one stop to stretch your legs and refresh during the 157.1-mile trek. Keep an eye on your fuel levels early in the drive so you can easily manage that $24 estimate without stress. A helpful tip for this specific route is to prioritize your single planned stop toward the middle of the trip to break up the long 70.8-mile stretch on MO 7.
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 78.5 miles from Lebanon, MO, or about 1h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.8 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 35 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.5 miles or 1h 45m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lee's Summit, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, MO
This is one driving day of about 157.1 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Lebanon, 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 MO 7 for about 70.8 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 139.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|MO 5; MO 64 / North Jefferson Avenue
Turn right onto MO 5; MO 64 / North Jefferson Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
68.4 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|MO 7
Take the exit onto MO 7 toward MO 7 North: Warsaw, Clinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MO 7 North: Warsaw, Clinton
5
136 mi into trip|~2h 54m in|MO 7
Take the exit onto MO 7 toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kan...
5
139.3 mi into trip|~2h 58m in
Take the exit toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 160
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
6
139.4 mi into trip|~2h 59m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.56 one way
$49.12 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$26.97
$53.93
premium
$4.89
$30.23
$60.46
diesel
$5.61
$34.69
$69.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.1
0
$16.50
$7.54
Efficient EV
39.3
0
$13.75
$6.28
EV Truck/SUV
62.8
0
$21.99
$10.05
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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 17, 2026
Origin
Lebanon, MO
Late night
in Lebanon on Tuesday
Local time
4:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
S 20 mph24% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 1:35PM CDT until April 20 at 7:32AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 1:26PM CDT until April 17 at 2:00PM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill...
Destination
Lee's Summit, MO
Late night
in Lee's Summit on Tuesday
Local time
4:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 15 to 18 mph83% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 1:35PM CDT until April 20 at 7:32AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 1:26PM CDT until April 17 at 2:00PM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill...
48°F
Warsaw, MO
79 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 25m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 80% of this trip takes place on open roads. You will settle into a steady rhythm behind the wheel, particularly during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 70.8 miles spent on MO 7. While the transition from North Jefferson Street to these larger highways keeps the drive moving, the personality of the road remains consistent and functional. It is a reliable path that favors speed and directness over technical, winding backroads. You will find that the road surface and traffic flow are predictable throughout the 3-hour-and-25-minute duration.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.8 mi on MO 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MO 7 and US 65. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MO 5; MO 64 / North Jefferson Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
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 157.1 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (MO 5; MO 64 / North Jefferson Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 68.4 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 136 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,261 ft738 ft
Total Climb
435 ft
Total Descent
657 ft
Highest Point
1,261 ft
Elevation Range
523 ft
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 Lebanon, MO to Lee's Summit, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Clinton along the way.
Clinton
68.4 mi in|~1h 31m|via MO 7
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 25m. Total distance: 157.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.8 miles on MO 7. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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: near the start (MO 5; MO 64 / North Jefferson Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 68.4 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 136 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Lee's Summit, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
