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Trip from Roeland Park, KS to Dodge City, KS

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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

6h 16m

Distance

336.9 mi

542 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
6h 4m ★
6 AM
6h 16m
8 AM
6h 42m
10 AM
6h 25m
12 PM
6h 23m
3 PM
6h 27m
5 PM
6h 40m
8 PM
6h 9m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Roeland Park, KS, KS

Roeland Park, KS

Egor Komarov

city in and county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States

Dodge City, KS

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Roeland Park, KS to Dodge City, KS is 336.9 miles and takes about 6h 16m via Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Kansas Turnpike, and KS 156, with a fuel budget near $53 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, traversing the state of Kansas from east to west. The drive is mostly straightforward, with a mix of highway cruising and some surface road driving as you approach your destination. Given the relatively short duration, it's a manageable single-day trip, allowing for a relaxed pace.

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

168.5 miles from Roeland Park, KS

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 56m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway 91.6 mi 1h 34m
Kansas Turnpike 51.8 mi 52m
KS 156 51.8 mi 1h 2m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 49.4 mi 49m
East 10th Street 31.3 mi 36m
Northeast Trail Street 24.3 mi 29m
US 56 22.4 mi 26m
Harry Darby Memorial Highway 4.5 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway — 91.6 mi, about 1h 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Roeland Park, KS and Dodge City, KS.

1

Start on Parish Drive

0.3 mi · 1 min · Parish Drive
2

At end of road, turn left onto Elledge Drive

0.2 mi · 57 sec · Elledge Drive
3

At end of road, turn left onto Roe Lane

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Roe Lane
4

Turn right onto Roe Boulevard

0.7 mi · 1 min · Roe Boulevard
5

Continue on US 69

0.1 mi · 22 sec · South 18th Street Expressway
6

Turn left

153 ft · 5 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 69 South: Wichita Use the left lane.
7

Continue on US 69

1.2 mi · 1 min · US 69
Toward I 35 South, US 69 South: Wichita Use the straight lane.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 231A Toward I 635 Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9

Merge onto I 635

4.5 mi · 5 min · Harry Darby Memorial Highway
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 4B Toward I 70 West: Topeka Use the slight left lane.
11

Merge onto I 70; US 24; US 40

51 mi · 51 min · Kansas Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

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.
13

Continue on I 70

92 mi · 1 hr 34 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Toward I-70 West Use the straight lane.
14

Continue on I 70; US 40

49 mi · 49 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward KS 156, Ellsworth, Great Bend
16

Turn left onto KS 156

48 mi · 56 min · KS 156
17

Take the ramp onto KS 156

3.8 mi · 6 min · KS 156
18

Turn left onto US 281

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Main Street
19

Turn right onto Railroad Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Railroad Avenue
20

Turn left onto Railroad Avenue

2.1 mi · 5 min · Railroad Avenue
21

At end of road, turn left onto US 56; KS 156

19 mi · 23 min · US 56; KS 156
22

Turn left onto US 56

0.8 mi · 52 sec · Broadway Street
23

Turn right onto US 56

24 mi · 29 min · Northeast Trail Street
24

Turn left onto US 183

0.5 mi · 47 sec · Niles Avenue
25

Turn right onto US 50

31 mi · 36 min · East 10th Street
26

Turn left onto US 56; US 283

3.1 mi · 3 min · US 56; US 283
27

Continue on East Wyatt Earp Boulevard

2.1 mi · 3 min · East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
28

Turn right onto Central Avenue

33 ft · 0 sec · Central Avenue
29

Arrive at destination

Central Avenue

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 6-hour drive, consider leaving Roeland Park in the morning to give yourself ample daylight for the entire trip to Dodge City. With only one recommended stop indicated, you have flexibility in how you pace yourself. Keep an eye on fuel, especially as you transition to KS 156, as services might be more spread out. The estimated fuel cost is around $53, so plan accordingly. Since this is a single-day drive, you can adjust your departure time based on your schedule and traffic conditions.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 168.5 miles from Roeland Park, KS, or about 2h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91.6 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 74 miles or 1h 20m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 168.5 miles or 2h 56m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 4m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dodge City, KS than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Roeland Park, KS 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 Roeland Park, KS

This is one driving day of about 336.9 miles and 6h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Roeland Park, KS.
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 Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway for about 91.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in and county seat of Geary County, Kansas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Junction City, KS

168 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

Valley Falls, KS

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 74 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Salina, KS

Meal break

The midpoint is around 168.5 miles from Roeland Park, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 91.6 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.

Best meal stop

JJ's Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Kansas City, Missouri

Near the start, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour $50 to $10

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+18165617136

Visit website

The Granfalloon Restaurant And Bar

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Kansas City, Missouri

2 mi

Country Club Plaza

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Kansas City, Missouri

2.2 mi

JJ's Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour $50 to $10

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+18165617136

Visit website

The Granfalloon Restaurant And Bar

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 11 am–3 pm

+18167537850

Visit website

Country Club Plaza

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 10 am–7 pm

+18167530100

Visit website

Prime On The Nine

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour Moderately

Dodge City, Kansas

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+16202272736

Visit website

Café Provence

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour $50 to $10

Prairie Village, Kansas

Hours: 11 am–2:30 pm

+19133845998

Visit website

Heritage by Bo Lings

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $20 to $30

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+18167531718

Visit website

Jerusalem Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 11 am–3 pm

+18164428655

Visit website

Westport Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour Moderately

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 4 pm–12 am

+18169314740

Visit website

EVgo Charging Station

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

Halfway reset 4 mi from route ~10 min detour

Salina, Kansas

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18774943833

Visit website

Long Branch Lagoon

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Dodge City, Kansas

Hours: Closed

+16202258156

Visit website

Money Museum

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Kansas City, Missouri

Hours: 9:30 am–4 pm

+18168812683

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 21

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 58.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~2m in | Roe Lane

At end of road, turn left onto Roe Lane

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

9
1.5 mi into trip | ~4m in

Turn left toward I 35 South, US 69 South: Wichita

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward I 35 South, US 69 South: Wichita
7
2.8 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward I 635

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 231A Toward I 635
7
7.5 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward I 70 West: Topeka

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 4B Toward I 70 West: Topeka
8
58.6 mi into trip | ~1h 4m 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

$52.67 one way

$105.34 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 118 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $57.83 $115.66
premium $4.89 $64.83 $129.67
diesel $5.61 $74.38 $148.77

Estimated Tolls: $2.59

Kansas Turnpike (51.8 mi) $2.59

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Tolls

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$80–$105

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 117.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $35 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 101.1 1 $35.37 $16.17
Efficient EV 84.2 0 $29.48 $13.48
EV Truck/SUV 134.8 1 $47.17 $21.56

Gas CO2

118 kg

EV CO2

39 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 20, 2026

Origin

Roeland Park, KS

Morning in Roeland Park on Tuesday

Local time

8:53 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Dodge City, KS

Morning in Dodge City on Tuesday

Local time

8:53 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

6h 16m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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.

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

National Historical Park

The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...

4 mi from route ~11 min detour Free near mile 69.7
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This route has 38% highway driving, meaning you'll spend a significant portion of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 91.6 miles on the Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway. You'll transition from highway driving to surface roads for the latter part of the trip, particularly on KS 156. Expect a more rural cruising feel for a good part of the drive, especially as you get further west.

38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 91.6 mi on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Roe Lane.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 336.9 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 0.5 miles (Roe Lane): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Roeland Park, KS and Dodge City, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Ellsworth and Great Bend.

Salina

58.6 mi in | ~1h 4m | via I 70

Ellsworth

200.6 mi in | ~3h 29m

Great Bend

200.6 mi in | ~3h 29m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 16m. Total distance: 336.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 16m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 91.6 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.59 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.

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.

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 Dodge City, KS 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Roe Lane): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dodge City, KS before the return drive.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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