Rose Hill to Dodge City is 172 miles and takes about 3 hours 34 minutes via Cannonball Stageline and US 400, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward journey across the state. With a recommended 1-day trip, you'll experience a local road feel for much of the drive, making it a manageable and direct route. Expect a relatively short travel time, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86 miles from Rose Hill, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Cannonball Stageline
60.2 mi
1h 8m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
42.7 mi
49m
US 400
33.7 mi
40m
The Yellow Brick Road
8.3 mi
9m
East 47th Street South
7.7 mi
10m
South Southeast Boulevard
5 mi
7m
East 1st Street
3.1 mi
6m
D Avenue
2.4 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Cannonball Stageline
— 60.2 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rose Hill, KS and Dodge City, KS.
1
Start on East Showalter Street
33 ft·3 sec·East Showalter Street
2
Turn right onto South Rose Hill Road
2.3 mi·4 min·South Rose Hill Road
3
Continue on Southwest Butler Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Southwest Butler Road
4
Enter roundabout onto Southwest 150th Street
316 ft·6 sec·Southwest 150th Street
5
Continue on Southwest 150th Street
1.0 mi·1 min·Southwest 150th Street
6
Continue on East 47th Street South
7.7 mi·10 min·East 47th Street South
7
Turn right onto KS 15
5.0 mi·7 min·South Southeast Boulevard
8
Continue on South Washington Street
0.5 mi·52 sec·South Washington Street
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
10
Merge onto US 54; US 400
43 mi·49 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 54; US 400; KS 14
2.4 mi·5 min·D Avenue
12
Continue on US 54; US 400
31 mi·35 min·Cannonball Stageline
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 54; US 400
3.1 mi·6 min·East 1st Street
14
Continue on US 54; US 400
29 mi·33 min·Cannonball Stageline
15
Continue on US 54; US 400
1.3 mi·2 min·East Kansas Avenue
16
Continue on US 54; US 400
8.3 mi·9 min·The Yellow Brick Road
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 400
34 mi·40 min·US 400
18
Turn right onto US 56; US 283
0.4 mi·57 sec·US 56; US 283
19
Turn left onto East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
2.1 mi·3 min·East Wyatt Earp Boulevard
20
Turn right onto Central Avenue
33 ft·0 sec·Central Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour 34-minute duration, this is comfortably a one-day trip from Rose Hill to Dodge City. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive by midday, leaving your afternoon open. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $27, planning is minimal. Pay attention to your fuel gauge, especially during the 60.2-mile stretch on Cannonball Stageline, as services might be less frequent. The turn-heavy nature of this route means staying alert and checking your navigation frequently will be key to a smooth journey.
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 86 miles from Rose Hill, KS, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.2 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 38 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 56m
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 Rose Hill, 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 Rose Hill, KS
This is one driving day of about 172 miles and 3h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Rose Hill, 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 Cannonball Stageline for about 60.2 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 172 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South Rose Hill Road
Turn right onto South Rose Hill Road
Navigation decision point
4
3.3 mi into trip|~5m in|Southwest 150th Street
Enter roundabout onto Southwest 150th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
17.9 mi into trip|~27m in|US 54; US 400 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 54; US 400 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
135.8 mi into trip|~2h 49m in|US 400
Keep slight right at fork onto US 400
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
172 mi into trip|~3h 34m in|Central Avenue
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.89 one way
$53.78 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$29.52
$59.05
premium
$4.89
$33.10
$66.20
diesel
$5.61
$37.98
$75.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.6
0
$18.06
$8.26
Efficient EV
43
0
$15.05
$6.88
EV Truck/SUV
68.8
0
$24.08
$11.01
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Rose Hill, KS
Night
in Rose Hill on Saturday
Local time
11:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dodge City, KS
Night
in Dodge City on Saturday
Local time
11:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Sunny
NW 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 1:41PM CDT until April 19 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 12:08PM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Hastings NE
60°F
Attica, KS
86 mi in
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
9 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
3h 34m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll likely encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction rather than long, straight highway stretches. Only 20% of the journey is on highways, so be prepared for a more engaging driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 60.2 miles along the Cannonball Stageline, offering a brief period of consistent travel before the turns resume. This profile suggests a drive that keeps you actively navigating through Kansas's local byways.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.2 mi on Cannonball Stageline.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Rose Hill Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 34m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Rose Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (Southwest 150th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 17.9 miles (US 54; US 400 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 34m. Total distance: 172 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 60.2 miles on Cannonball Stageline. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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: near the start (South Rose Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (Southwest 150th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 17.9 miles (US 54; US 400 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Dodge City, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
