Origin
Saint Charles, MO
Afternoon in Saint Charles on Monday
Local time
2:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Charles, MO to Spanish Lake, MO
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 7, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
17.7 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Charles, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Spanish Lake, MO
David Vives
Trip Overview
Saint Charles, MO to Spanish Lake, MO is 17.7 miles and takes about 25m via Rosemary Straub Davison Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and Missouri state, primarily utilizing local roads. It's a quick hop that's perfect for a single-day excursion, offering a straightforward drive without extensive planning. You'll find the route is mostly surface roads, making it an easy navigation experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rosemary Straub Davison Highway | 9.7 mi | 12m |
| Officer Scott H Armstrong Memorial Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Bellefontaine Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Second Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Discovery Bridge | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| MO 370 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Third Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Rosemary Straub Davison Highway
— 9.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MO and Spanish Lake, MO.
1
Start on North Second Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Second Street
2
Continue on MO 94
199 ft
·
5 sec
·
Tecumseh Street
3
Continue on MO 94
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
North Third Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
5
Merge onto MO 370
223 ft
·
3 sec
·
Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway
6
Continue on MO 370
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Discovery Bridge
7
Continue on MO 370
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Officer Scott H Armstrong Memorial Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 370
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
MO 370
Toward I 270 North: Chicago
Use the straight lane.
9
Merge onto I 270
9.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Rosemary Straub Davison Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 32
Toward Bellefontaine Road
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto Bellefontaine Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Bellefontaine Road
12
Arrive at destination
Bellefontaine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 16.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
MO 370 / Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway
Merge onto MO 370 / Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
7
6.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
MO 370
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 370 toward I 270 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 270 North: Chicago
5
6.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 270 / Rosemary Straub Davison Highway
Merge onto I 270 / Rosemary Straub Davison Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
16.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Bellefontaine Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 32
Toward Bellefontaine Road
3
16.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Bellefontaine Road
Turn left onto Bellefontaine Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.74 one way
$5.49 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $3.01 | $6.02 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.43 | $6.87 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $3.90 | $7.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.55 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Spanish Lake, MO
Afternoon in Spanish Lake on Monday
Local time
2:02 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
25m 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 drive is mostly surface roads, with only a small portion on highways. You'll encounter about 9.7 miles on Rosemary Straub Davison Highway, which is the longest continuous stretch. As you transition from highway to surface roads, expect a change in traffic flow and speed, particularly as you approach more developed areas. The overall profile suggests a consistent pace with occasional slowdowns typical of urban or suburban surface street driving.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.7 mi on Rosemary Straub Davison Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 5 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near MO 370 / Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 17.7 miles you will encounter 5 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 1.6 miles (MO 370 / Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 6.1 miles (MO 370): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (I 270 / Rosemary Straub Davison Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
611 ft
446 ft
Total Climb
354 ft
Total Descent
303 ft
Highest Point
611 ft
~12.6 mi in
Elevation Range
165 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Saint Charles, MO
Full guide →Founded 1765
St. Charles, Missouri is outside of St. Louis on the bank of the Missouri River. It was Missouri's first state capital and was one of the first stops by Lewis and Clark on their journey to explore Louisiana Territory. The historic Main Street has largely been restored to its 1812-era appearance including gas lights a boardwalk and is lined with shops selling artwork, handicrafts, home decorations, antiques. There are also many restaurants.
Top landmarks
- • First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site — historic site in Missouri, United States
- • African Church — church building in Missouri, United States of America
- • Frenchtown Historic District — historic district in St. Charles County, Missouri
Arriving in Spanish Lake, MO
Full guide →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 25m. Total distance: 17.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.7 miles on Rosemary Straub Davison Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Spanish Lake, MO 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 1.6 miles (MO 370 / Patrick J Bray Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 6.1 miles (MO 370): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (I 270 / Rosemary Straub Davison Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Spanish Lake, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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