Lee's Summit, MO to Steelville, MO is 207.3 miles and takes about 4h 27m via US 50, US 63, and MO 68, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Missouri, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. With 99% of the route on highways, you'll experience a mostly straightforward drive for the majority of your trip. This is a solid option if you're looking for a one-day excursion with minimal fuss and a predictable travel time.
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
103.7 miles from Lee's Summit, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 50
131.6 mi
2h 43m
US 63
38.2 mi
49m
MO 68
25.2 mi
37m
MO 291
6.6 mi
8m
MO 8
4.5 mi
6m
Main Street
0.6 mi
<1m
Southwest Jefferson Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Southwest 3rd Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 50
— 131.6 mi, about 2h 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lee's Summit, MO and Steelville, MO.
1
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
0.1 mi·15 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto Southwest Jefferson Street
0.5 mi·50 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
3
Enter roundabout
251 ft·5 sec
4
Continue
0.1 mi·15 sec
5
Take the exit onto MO 291
6.6 mi·8 min·MO 291
Toward US 50 East, MO 291 North: Sedalia
6
Continue on US 50
132 mi·2 hr 43 min·US 50
Use the straight lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 63
38 mi·49 min·US 63
Toward US 63 South: Rolla
8
Turn left onto MO 68
25 mi·37 min·MO 68
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on MO 8
4.5 mi·6 min·MO 8
10
At end of road, turn right onto MO 8; MO 19
0.6 mi·56 sec·Main Street
11
Arrive at destination
MO 8; MO 19
Trip Plan
Since this trip is manageable within a single day, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to reach Steelville. Plan for one stop to break up the 4 hour 27 minute drive. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 131.6 mile stretch on US 50, as services can be more spread out on longer highway segments. The estimated fuel cost of $33 should help you budget accordingly for this relatively short, direct trip.
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 103.7 miles from Lee's Summit, MO, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 131.6 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 46 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.7 miles or 2h 9m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Steelville, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lee's Summit, 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 Lee's Summit, MO
This is one driving day of about 207.3 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Lee's Summit, 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 50 for about 131.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 103.7 miles from Lee's Summit, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before US 50 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 131.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Nissan Charging Station
Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour
Halfway reset
4.8 mi from route
~12 min detour
Jefferson City, Missouri
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+33172676914
Service Plaza
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.3 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 206.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|MO 291
Take the exit onto MO 291 toward US 50 East, MO 291 North: Sedalia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 50 East, MO 291 North: Sedalia
5
138.9 mi into trip|~2h 53m in|US 63
Keep slight right at fork onto US 63 toward US 63 South: Rolla
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 63 South: Rolla
5
177.1 mi into trip|~3h 42m in|MO 68
Turn left onto MO 68
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
206.7 mi into trip|~4h 26m in|MO 8; MO 19 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto MO 8; MO 19 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.58 one way
$69.16 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$37.58
$75.17
premium
$5.26
$42.92
$85.84
diesel
$6.18
$50.43
$100.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.2
0
$21.77
$9.95
Efficient EV
51.8
0
$18.14
$8.29
EV Truck/SUV
82.9
1
$29.02
$13.27
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Lee's Summit, MO
Morning
in Lee's Summit on Saturday
Local time
6:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 16 to 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 1:51AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Destination
Steelville, MO
Morning
in Steelville on Saturday
Local time
6:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Partly Sunny
NW 17 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 1:51AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
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
2 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 27m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on highways, with 99% of the 207.3 miles covered on major roads. You'll encounter the longest stretch of continuous driving at 131.6 miles along US 50. Expect minimal deviations from major highway cruising until the very end of your trip. The profile is mostly highway, suggesting a consistent speed and fewer interruptions from town traffic or complex intersections.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 131.6 mi on US 50.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 50 and US 63. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.7 miles (MO 291): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 138.9 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Lee's Summit is a city in Missouri. It is the hometown of famous outlaw Cole Younger of the James-Younger Gang, and of Grammy Award-winning musician Pat Metheny.
The longest stretch is about 131.6 miles on US 50. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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 0.6 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.7 miles (MO 291): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 138.9 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Steelville, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
