Origin
Tarkio, MO
Late night in Tarkio on Sunday
Local time
1:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tarkio, MO to Saint Joseph, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
64.5 mi
104 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tarkio, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Saint Joseph, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Tarkio to Saint Joseph, this 64.6-mile trip across the Missouri Midwest is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 9 minutes. Because the drive is relatively short, you can easily complete it as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate local roads like South 3rd Street, Walnut Street, and South 10th Street rather than major interstates. Budgeting approximately $10 for fuel should cover your travel costs comfortably. It is a practical route for those looking to move between these two communities efficiently while keeping travel logistics minimal.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 29 | 34.8 mi | 37m |
| East Main Street | 11.8 mi | 17m |
| I 229 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| US 59 | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| South 10th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Walnut Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Francis Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 34.8 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tarkio, MO and Saint Joseph, MO.
1
Start on Main Street
158 ft
·
12 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
South 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto US 136
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Walnut Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 59; US 136
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South 10th Street
5
Turn left onto US 59
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
US 59
6
Turn left onto US 59
12 mi
·
17 min
·
East Main Street
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 29 South: Saint Joseph
8
Merge onto I 29
35 mi
·
37 min
·
I 29
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 56B
Toward I 229 South: Downtown Saint Joseph
10
Merge onto I 229
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 229
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 6A
Toward Central Business District
12
Turn straight onto Felix Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Felix Street
13
Turn left onto North 4th Street
283 ft
·
7 sec
·
North 4th Street
14
Turn right onto Francis Street
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Francis Street
15
Turn left onto I 29 Business
254 ft
·
7 sec
·
North 10th Street
16
Turn right onto I 29 Business
379 ft
·
6 sec
·
Frederick Avenue
17
Turn slight right onto Walter Welsh Avenue
137 ft
·
2 sec
·
Walter Welsh Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Walter Welsh Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Tarkio, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 63.9 — 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
|
South 3rd Street
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 59; US 136 / South 10th Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 59; US 136 / South 10th Street
Navigation decision point
5
55 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward I 229 South: Downtown Saint Joseph
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 56B
Toward I 229 South: Downtown Saint Joseph
5
63.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward Central Business District
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6A
Toward Central Business District
5
63.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
North 4th Street
Turn left onto North 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.08 one way
$20.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.07 | $22.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.41 | $24.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.24 | $28.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.77 | $3.10 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.03 | $4.13 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Saint Joseph, MO
Late night in Saint Joseph on Sunday
Local time
1:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
22 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
1h 20m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route consists entirely of local roads with 0% highway share. You will navigate through local streets, meaning you should be prepared for frequent adjustments and varying speed zones along the way. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches of open highway, the pace remains steady and demands your full attention behind the wheel. The experience is best described as a series of connected local segments that transition you gradually from Tarkio to Saint Joseph. Because you are avoiding major highways, you will get a closer look at the local landscape throughout the entire 64.6-mile duration.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.8 mi on I 29.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and East Main Street. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 3rd Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 64.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 59; US 136 / South 10th Street): Navigation decision point; at 55 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 64.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.8 miles on I 29. 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 (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 59; US 136 / South 10th Street): Navigation decision point; at 55 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 Saint Joseph, 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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