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Trip from Wakefield, KS to Ladysmith, KS

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

30m

Distance

13.5 mi

22 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 27m ★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m

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 Wakefield, KS, KS

Wakefield, KS

Tien Nguyen

Downtown Ladysmith, KS, KS

Ladysmith, KS

Tien Nguyen

Trip Overview

Wakefield, KS to Ladysmith, KS is 13.5 miles and takes about 30m via Navajo Road (1400), with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward local drive. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a quick excursion or as part of a longer journey. You'll primarily navigate local roads, so expect a relaxed pace. This route is best suited for those looking for a simple, direct connection between two points without extensive highway time.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
7th Road 5.7 mi 10m
9th Road 3 mi 7m
Navajo Road (1400) 2 mi 3m
Kiowa Road 1.5 mi 5m
Elm Street 0.3 mi <1m
10th Street 0.3 mi <1m
4th Street 0.3 mi 1m
6th Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: 7th Road — 5.7 mi, about 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wakefield, KS and Ladysmith, KS.

1

Start on 4th Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · 4th Street
2

At end of road, turn right onto Birch Street

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Birch Street
3

Turn left onto KS 82

0.2 mi · 22 sec · 6th Street
4

Turn straight onto KS 82

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Elm Street
5

Continue on KS 82

0.3 mi · 33 sec · 10th Street
6

Continue on KS 82

5.7 mi · 10 min · 7th Road
7

Turn right onto KS 15

2.0 mi · 3 min · Navajo Road (1400)
8

Turn left onto CR 404

3.0 mi · 7 min · 9th Road
9

Turn right onto Kiowa Road

1.5 mi · 5 min · Kiowa Road
10

Arrive at destination

Kiowa Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 12 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Birch Street

At end of road, turn right onto Birch Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | KS 82 / 6th Street

Turn left onto KS 82 / 6th Street

Navigation decision point

3
7 mi into trip | ~13m in | KS 15 / Navajo Road (1400)

Turn right onto KS 15 / Navajo Road (1400)

Navigation decision point

4
9 mi into trip | ~16m in | CR 404 / 9th Road

Turn left onto CR 404 / 9th Road

Navigation decision point

4
12 mi into trip | ~24m in | Kiowa Road

Turn right onto Kiowa Road

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.24 one way

$4.49 round trip

$4.22/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $2.44 $4.89
premium $5.18 $2.75 $5.51
diesel $5.35 $2.84 $5.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.1 0 $1.42 $0.65
Efficient EV 3.4 0 $1.18 $0.54
EV Truck/SUV 5.4 0 $1.89 $0.86

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 Jun 1, 2026

Origin

Wakefield, KS

Afternoon in Wakefield on Wednesday

Local time

4:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Sunny

NE 5 to 10 mph 7% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued June 1 at 9:27AM CDT until June 2 at 10:36AM CDT by NWS Topeka KS

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued June 1 at 8:03AM CDT until June 3 at 8:07AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO

Destination

Ladysmith, KS

Afternoon in Ladysmith on Wednesday

Local time

4:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Sunny

E 5 to 15 mph 9% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued June 1 at 9:27AM CDT until June 2 at 10:36AM CDT by NWS Topeka KS

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued June 1 at 8:03AM CDT until June 3 at 8:07AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

30m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on smaller roads the entire way. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.7 miles on 7th Road. As you drive, you'll transition between 7th Road, 9th Road, and Navajo Road (1400). The frequent turns suggest a need for attentive navigation, typical of rural Kansas routes. Expect a connected, community-level feel rather than a high-speed transit experience.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on 7th Road.

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 around 0.3 miles in near Birch Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Birch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (KS 82 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (KS 15 / Navajo Road (1400)): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,333 ft 1,150 ft

Total Climb

264 ft

Total Descent

102 ft

Highest Point

1,333 ft

~7.7 mi in

Elevation Range

182 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Wakefield, KS

Full guide →

Arriving in Ladysmith, KS

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 30m. Total distance: 13.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on 7th Road. 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: at 0.3 miles (Birch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (KS 82 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (KS 15 / Navajo Road (1400)): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ladysmith, KS 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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