Origin
Lenexa, KS
Evening in Lenexa on Saturday
Local time
7:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lenexa, KS to Silver Lake, KS
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
72.9 mi
117 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lenexa, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Silver Lake, KS
Sean Ewing
Trip Overview
Lenexa, KS to Silver Lake, KS is 72.9 miles and takes about 1h 24m via KS 10 and Kansas Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, making for a straightforward trip between two points in Kansas. Given its relatively short length and mostly highway profile, it's a practical option for a quick transit or a day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, so expect a smooth, efficient passage.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| KS 10 | 36.7 mi | 40m |
| Kansas Turnpike | 14.3 mi | 14m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 8.4 mi | 10m |
| US 24 | 7.8 mi | 10m |
| Addy Westgate Memorial Bridge | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| I 35 | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| Lenexa Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| West 95th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
KS 10
— 36.7 mi, about 40m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,691 veh/hr typical · worst 2,038
Quietest
2 AM
~101 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 102 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lenexa, KS and Silver Lake, KS.
1
Start on this road
256 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
71 ft
·
10 sec
3
Turn left onto Rosehill Road
500 ft
·
21 sec
·
Rosehill Road
4
Turn right onto Lenexa Drive
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Lenexa Drive
5
Continue on Lenexa Drive
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Lenexa Drive
6
Turn right onto West 95th Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
West 95th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wichita
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35; US 56; US 169
0.9 mi
·
59 sec
·
I 35; US 56; US 169
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 222B
Toward I 435 West, KS 10 West
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
Use the slight left lane.
12
Continue on KS 10
37 mi
·
40 min
·
KS 10
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
14
Merge onto I 70
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Kansas Turnpike
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Kansas Turnpike
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 70
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Toward I-70 West
Use the straight lane.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 75 North: Holton
18
Continue on US 75
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Addy Westgate Memorial Bridge
Use the straight lane.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 24 West: Manhattan
Use the sharp right lane.
20
Merge onto US 24
7.8 mi
·
10 min
·
US 24
Use the straight lane.
21
Arrive at destination
US 24
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.5 miles from Lenexa, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 53.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wichita
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wi...
8
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 435 West, KS 10 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 222B
Toward I 435 West, KS 10 West
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
8
53.6 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
I 70 / Kansas Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 / Kansas Turnpike toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.30 one way
$22.60 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $12.39 | $24.79 |
| premium | $4.93 | $14.14 | $28.29 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $16.07 | $32.14 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.72
Kansas Turnpike
(14.3 mi)
$0.72
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Tolls
$1
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.65 | $3.50 |
| Efficient EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.38 | $2.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.2 | 0 | $10.21 | $4.67 |
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.
Destination
Silver Lake, KS
Evening in Silver Lake on Saturday
Local time
7:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1h 24m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 82% of the 72.9 miles on major roads like KS 10 and the Kansas Turnpike. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 36.7 miles on KS 10 before transitioning to other roads. Expect a consistent pace for much of the drive, with the highway sections offering a straightforward cruising experience. The shift away from the highway will likely involve more local traffic and varied speed limits.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on KS 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on KS 10 and Kansas Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 72.9 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,113 ft
820 ft
Total Climb
336 ft
Total Descent
455 ft
Highest Point
1,113 ft
~46.9 mi in
Elevation Range
294 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Lenexa, KS to Silver Lake, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
Salina
53.6 mi in
|
~1h
|
via I 70
About the Cities
Arriving in Silver Lake, KS
Full guide →Founded 1868
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 72.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on KS 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.72 in tolls one way, starting with Kansas Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Silver Lake, 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Silver Lake, KS before heading back.
How this page is built
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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