This 214.7-mile drive from Mountain Grove, MO, to Lee's Summit, MO, is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can comfortably be completed in about 4 hours and 18 minutes. With 96% of the route on highways, it's an efficient way to travel between these two Midwest locations. The estimated fuel cost is around $34, making it an economical option for a day trip. You'll primarily be on North Kansas Expressway and US 60, with a portion on MO 7. Given its manageable length and duration, this route is ideally suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times without the need for an overnight stop.
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
107.4 miles from Mountain Grove, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Kansas Expressway
87.2 mi
1h 42m
US 60
54.7 mi
1h 4m
MO 7
39.2 mi
43m
MO 58
8.5 mi
11m
MO 291
8.3 mi
12m
Schoolcraft Freeway
8.1 mi
10m
Payne Stewart Highway
4.1 mi
5m
West 3rd Street
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
North Kansas Expressway
— 87.2 mi, about 1h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mountain Grove, MO and Lee's Summit, MO.
1
Start on MO 95
102 ft·9 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 60 Business
2.2 mi·3 min·West 3rd Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward US 60 West: Springfield
4
Merge onto US 60
55 mi·1 hr 4 min·US 60
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward US 65 North: Sedalia
6
Merge onto US 65
8.1 mi·10 min·Schoolcraft Freeway
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 44 West: Joplin
8
Merge onto I 44
4.1 mi·5 min·Payne Stewart Highway
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi·14 sec
Exit 77Toward MO 13: Bolivar
10
Keep slight left at fork
150 ft·3 sec
Exit 77Toward MO 13: Bolivar
11
Keep slight right at fork
209 ft·7 sec
Exit 77Toward MO 13 North: Bolivar
12
Merge onto MO 13
87 mi·1 hr 42 min·North Kansas Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on MO 7
36 mi·39 min·MO 7
14
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
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·17 sec
Exit 160Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
16
Keep slight right at fork
243 ft·6 sec
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
17
Merge onto MO 291
8.3 mi·12 min·MO 291
18
Turn slight left onto MO 58; MO 291
8.5 mi·11 min·MO 58; MO 291
19
Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
20
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Jefferson Street
189 ft·3 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
21
Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street
0.5 mi·53 sec·Southwest Jefferson Street
22
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
0.1 mi·12 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
Use the left lane.
23
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour and 18-minute drive, leaving in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to reach Lee's Summit. With only one recommended stop, you can plan your break strategically, perhaps about halfway through your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 87.2-mile stretch on North Kansas Expressway, to ensure you don't need to deviate from your planned route. The $34 fuel cost is a good estimate, but it's always wise to have a little extra. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the advantage of flexibility – adjust your departure time as needed based on your schedule and local traffic conditions.
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 107.4 miles from Mountain Grove, MO, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87.2 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 47 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.4 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 29m
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 Mountain Grove, 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 Mountain Grove, MO
This is one driving day of about 214.7 miles and 4h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Mountain Grove, 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 North Kansas Expressway for about 87.2 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 70.3 and 197.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
70.3 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward MO 13: Bolivar
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 77
Toward MO 13: Bolivar
7
70.5 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MO 13: Bolivar
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 77
Toward MO 13: Bolivar
7
70.5 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MO 13 North: Bolivar
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 77
Toward MO 13 North: Bolivar
5
70.5 mi into trip|~1h 26m in|MO 13 / North Kansas Expressway
Merge onto MO 13 / North Kansas Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
197.1 mi into trip|~3h 52m 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
$31.71 one way
$63.41 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$35.00
$70.01
premium
$4.72
$39.86
$79.73
diesel
$4.80
$40.54
$81.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.4
0
$22.54
$10.31
Efficient EV
53.7
0
$18.79
$8.59
EV Truck/SUV
85.9
1
$30.06
$13.74
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Mountain Grove, MO
Late night
in Mountain Grove on Sunday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 8 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Lee's Summit, MO
Late night
in Lee's Summit on Sunday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 6 mph25% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
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
3 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 18m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and where the first Union general was killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focuse...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 59.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, with 96% of your travel occurring on well-maintained roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 87.2 miles along North Kansas Expressway, offering a solid period of consistent driving. While the majority is highway, the inclusion of US 60 and MO 7 might introduce slightly varied road conditions compared to a pure interstate. This drive is characterized by its efficiency, allowing you to cover significant ground quickly as you make your way from the Ozarks region towards the Kansas City metropolitan area.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 87.2 mi on North Kansas Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Kansas Expressway and US 60. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 70.3 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 214.7 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 70.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 70.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 70.5 miles: 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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 18m. Total distance: 214.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 87.2 miles on North Kansas Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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.
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 Lee's Summit, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 70.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 70.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 70.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Lee's Summit, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
