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Trip from Prairie Home, MO to Blackwater, MO

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

40m

Distance

30.1 mi

48 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Fair

4 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 37m ★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Prairie Home, MO, MO

Prairie Home, MO

Soraya photogaphy

Downtown Blackwater, MO, MO

Blackwater, MO

Mathias Reding

Trip Overview

This quick 30.1-mile trip from Prairie Home to Blackwater in Missouri is easily manageable as a day trip, taking about 40 minutes. The route primarily utilizes U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway and MO 87, with a portion on MO K, offering a mixed driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, this short journey is budget-friendly. It's perfect for a spontaneous excursion or an easy leg of a larger Midwest adventure. You'll find this drive to be straightforward and efficient, ideal for a relaxed travel day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway 16.1 mi 17m
MO 87 10.5 mi 14m
MO K 3.1 mi 7m
Main Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway — 16.1 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Prairie Home, MO and Blackwater, MO.

1

Start on MO EE

31 ft · 7 sec · Main Street
2

Turn sharp right onto MO 87

11 mi · 14 min · MO 87
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 70 West: Kansas City
4

Merge onto I 70

16 mi · 17 min · U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 89 Toward MO K: Blackwater
6

Turn right onto MO K

158 ft · 8 sec · MO K
7

Continue on MO K

0.1 mi · 24 sec · MO K
8

Turn right onto MO K

2.9 mi · 6 min · MO K
9

Arrive at destination

MO K

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | MO 87

Turn sharp right onto MO 87

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

4
10.5 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the ramp toward I 70 West: Kansas City

Navigation decision point

Toward I 70 West: Kansas City
5
26.8 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the exit toward MO K: Blackwater

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 89 Toward MO K: Blackwater
4
27 mi into trip | ~32m in | MO K

Turn right onto MO K

Navigation decision point

4
27.2 mi into trip | ~33m in | MO K

Turn right onto MO K

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.71 one way

$9.41 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.17 $10.33
premium $4.89 $5.79 $11.58
diesel $5.61 $6.65 $13.29

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9 0 $3.16 $1.44
Efficient EV 7.5 0 $2.63 $1.20
EV Truck/SUV 12 0 $4.21 $1.93

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 21, 2026

Origin

Prairie Home, MO

Late night in Prairie Home on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Blackwater, MO

Late night in Blackwater on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°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

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

40m 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?

Expect a mixed drive on this 30.1-mile route through Missouri. About 35% of your journey will be on highway, interspersed with state routes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 16.1 miles along the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. This section likely offers a consistent pace before transitioning to the more localized feel of MO 87 and MO K. The road profile suggests a varied driving experience, moving from more open highway sections to potentially more winding or community-oriented roads.

35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MO 87.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Prairie Home, MO to Blackwater, MO is easy. At 40m with 35% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (MO 87): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 10.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 26.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

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 Prairie Home, MO to Blackwater, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Mo K: Blackwater along the way.

Mo K: Blackwater

26.8 mi in | ~32m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 30.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

40m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 16.1 miles on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: near the start (MO 87): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 10.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 26.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Blackwater, MO 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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