Origin
Clearwater, KS
Afternoon in Clearwater on Saturday
Local time
3:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clearwater, KS to Hutchinson, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
56.7 mi
91 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clearwater, KS
Tien Nguyen
Hutchinson, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Clearwater to Hutchinson is 56.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via KS 96 and South 119th Street West, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Kansas. It's a relatively short journey, making it ideal for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger road trip. You'll primarily navigate state highways, so expect a more local feel than a major interstate cruise. Plan for a simple, efficient drive with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| KS 96 | 33.7 mi | 38m |
| South 119th Street West | 12.4 mi | 22m |
| South 135th Street West | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| West Southwest Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Woodie Seat Freeway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Ross Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
KS 96
— 33.7 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, KS and Hutchinson, KS.
1
Start on East Kansas Avenue
48 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Kansas Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Lee Avenue
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
South Lee Avenue
3
Turn right onto East Ross Avenue
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
East Ross Avenue
4
Turn left onto North 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North 4th Street
5
Continue on South 135th Street West
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South 135th Street West
6
Turn right onto KS 42
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West Southwest Boulevard
7
Turn left onto South 119th Street West
12 mi
·
22 min
·
South 119th Street West
8
Turn left onto KS 96
34 mi
·
38 min
·
KS 96
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on Woodie Seat Freeway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodie Seat Freeway
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Avenue A East
11
Turn slight right onto West Avenue A
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Avenue A
12
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
13
Turn right onto East 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East 7th Avenue
14
Turn left
62 ft
·
4 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.4 miles from Clearwater, KS, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 56.7 — 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 Lee Avenue
Turn right onto South Lee Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Ross Avenue
Turn right onto East Ross Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
21.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
KS 96
Turn left onto KS 96
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
55.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Avenue A East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Avenue A East
5
56.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.86 one way
$17.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.73 | $19.47 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.91 | $21.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.52 | $25.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.95 | $2.72 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.7 | 0 | $7.94 | $3.63 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Hutchinson, KS
Afternoon in Hutchinson on Saturday
Local time
3:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
21 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?
This route is predominantly highway-focused, with 61% of the drive taking place on faster roads. You'll experience a 33.7-mile stretch on KS 96, which represents the longest uninterrupted segment of your journey. The drive transitions from KS 96 to local roads like South 119th Street West and South 135th Street West, offering a mix of speeds and road types. Expect a generally open driving environment typical of the Great Plains, with clear sightlines and consistent road conditions.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.7 mi on KS 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on KS 96 and South 119th Street West. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lee Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 20m 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 (South Lee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Ross Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 21.1 miles (KS 96): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 56.7 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 (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.7 miles on KS 96. 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 Lee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Ross Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 21.1 miles (KS 96): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hutchinson, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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