Wentzville, MO to Independence, MO is 200.5 miles and takes about 3h 49m via Dwight D Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, traversing Missouri on mostly surface roads. It's a manageable distance, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. You'll find the route offers a practical way to travel between these two points, with a focus on efficient travel rather than scenic detours.
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
100.2 miles from Wentzville, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
80.1 mi
1h 34m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
54.3 mi
58m
South Noland Road
3 mi
5m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
2.7 mi
3m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
2 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 80.1 mi, about 1h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wentzville, MO and Independence, MO.
1
Start on East Allen Street
40 ft·7 sec·East Allen Street
2
Turn left onto North Linn Avenue
0.1 mi·26 sec·North Linn Avenue
3
Turn right onto West 4th Street
442 ft·20 sec·West 4th Street
4
Turn left onto South Church Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·South Church Street
5
Enter roundabout
20 ft·0 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
6
Continue
0.2 mi·13 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
7
Merge onto I 70; US 40
80 mi·1 hr 34 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
8
Continue on I 70; US 40
2.0 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
9
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
11
Continue on I 70; US 40
54 mi·58 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Exit 12Toward Noland RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto South Noland Road
3.0 mi·5 min·South Noland Road
17
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
466 ft·22 sec·East Walnut Street
18
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
394 ft·22 sec·South Lynn Street
19
Turn left onto East Kansas Avenue
145 ft·6 sec·East Kansas Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
East Kansas Avenue
Trip Plan
With a total duration of under 4 hours, this route offers a lot of flexibility. You could easily depart mid-morning and still arrive with plenty of daylight. Given the 200.5-mile distance and the fact it's mostly surface roads, plan for more frequent, brief stops than you might on a highway trip. The estimated fuel cost is around $31, so keep that in mind for budgeting. Since you'll be on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway for a significant portion, be aware of the exit density and potential for local traffic.
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 100.2 miles from Wentzville, MO, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.1 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 44 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.2 miles or 1h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Independence, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wentzville, MO 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 Wentzville, MO
This is one driving day of about 200.5 miles and 3h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Wentzville, MO.
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 Dwight D Eisenhower Highway for about 80.1 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 200.4 — 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|North Linn Avenue
Turn left onto North Linn Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in
Enter roundabout toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
7
197 mi into trip|~3h 42m in
Take the exit toward Noland Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12
Toward Noland Road
5
200.4 mi into trip|~3h 48m in|South Lynn Street
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.35 one way
$62.69 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$34.42
$68.83
premium
$4.89
$38.58
$77.17
diesel
$5.61
$44.27
$88.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.2
0
$21.05
$9.62
Efficient EV
50.1
0
$17.54
$8.02
EV Truck/SUV
80.2
1
$28.07
$12.83
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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 20, 2026
Origin
Wentzville, MO
Morning
in Wentzville on Tuesday
Local time
7:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Independence, MO
Morning
in Independence on Tuesday
Local time
7:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Columbia, MO
100 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
6 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
3h 49m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is mostly surface roads, with 0% highway driving. The longest continuous stretch on a named road is 80.1 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. Expect frequent intersections and lower speed limits as you navigate through towns and local areas. The absence of highway driving means you'll be more immersed in the local landscape, with more opportunities to observe the surroundings directly.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.1 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
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 North Linn Avenue.
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 49m drive. You will face about 10 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 (North Linn Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Independence, known as the Queen City of the Trails, is a city in western Missouri just east of Kansas City with a population of approximately 110,000. Independence's founding predates that of Kansas City, and it was home to U.S. President Harry S. Truman and the legendary actress Ginger Rogers, as well as the starting point of three of America's great Westward Trails: the Santa Fe Trail, the California Trail, and the Oregon Trail. The city also hosts numerous historical sites related to the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons"), American Civil War and Western history.
While offering a full range of entertainment and lodging options for visitors, Independence generally tends to be more "quiet" than its larger neighbor to the west.
The longest stretch is about 80.1 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 29 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 (North Linn Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Independence, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
