Trip from Clearwater, KS to Shawnee, KS

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 46m

Distance

207.3 mi

334 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min

4 AM

3h 33m ★

6 AM

3h 46m

8 AM

4h 11m

10 AM

3h 55m

12 PM

3h 52m

3 PM

3h 56m

5 PM

4h 10m

8 PM

3h 38m

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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Clearwater, KS

Tien Nguyen

city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States

Shawnee, KS

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Clearwater, KS to Shawnee, KS covers 207.3 miles and takes about 3h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35, Kansas Turnpike, West 71st Street South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 101.7 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.41 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

103.7 miles from Clearwater, KS

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 46m. Total distance: 207.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 3h 46m highway drive covering 207.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and Kansas Turnpike. The longest continuous stretch is about 101.7 miles on I 35.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 101.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Kansas Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lee Avenue.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 207.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Lee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 102.1 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 203.8 miles (US 56; US 69; US 169): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Lee Avenue

Turn right onto South Lee Avenue

Navigation decision point

102.1 mi into trip | ~1h 52m in | I 35

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

203.8 mi into trip | ~3h 38m in | US 56; US 69; US 169

Take the exit onto US 56; US 69; US 169 toward US 56 East, US 69 North, US 169 North: Shawnee Mission Parkway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 228B Toward US 56 East, US 69 North, US 169 North: S...

203.9 mi into trip | ~3h 38m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee

205.2 mi into trip | ~3h 41m in | Nieman Road

Turn right onto Nieman Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 35	101.7 mi	1h 45m
Kansas Turnpike	87.4 mi	1h 27m
West 71st Street South	7 mi	9m
South 135th Street West	3.3 mi	5m
West Grand Avenue	2 mi	4m
Nieman Road	1.7 mi	3m
Shawnee Mission Parkway	1.2 mi	2m
North 4th Street	0.7 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 35 — 101.7 mi, about 1h 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, KS and Shawnee, KS.

Start on East Kansas Avenue

48 ft · 4 sec · East Kansas Avenue

Turn right onto South Lee Avenue

0.1 mi · 32 sec · South Lee Avenue

Turn right onto East Ross Avenue

0.4 mi · 52 sec · East Ross Avenue

Turn left onto North 4th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North 4th Street

Continue on South 135th Street West

3.3 mi · 5 min · South 135th Street West

Turn right onto West 71st Street South

7.0 mi · 9 min · West 71st Street South

Continue on West Grand Avenue

2.0 mi · 4 min · West Grand Avenue

Continue on East 71st Street South

0.3 mi · 39 sec · East 71st Street South

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min

At end of road, turn left

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Merge onto I 35

87 mi · 1 hr 27 min · Kansas Turnpike

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35

95 mi · 1 hr 38 min · I 35

Use the straight lane.

Continue on I 35; US 56; US 169

3.6 mi · 4 min · I 35; US 56; US 169

Toward I 35 North, US 56 East, US 169 North: Des Moines Use the straight lane.

Merge onto I 35; US 56; US 69; US 169

2.7 mi · 3 min · I 35; US 56; US 69; US 169

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 56; US 69; US 169

0.2 mi · 15 sec · US 56; US 69; US 169

Exit 228B Toward US 56 East, US 69 North, US 169 North: Shawnee Mission Parkway Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

106 ft · 4 sec

Toward Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee Use the left lane.

Turn left onto US 56; US 69; US 169

1.2 mi · 2 min · Shawnee Mission Parkway

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto Nieman Road

1.7 mi · 3 min · Nieman Road

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto West 49th Terrace

0.3 mi · 1 min · West 49th Terrace

Turn right onto Bond Street

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Bond Street

Arrive at destination

Bond Street

Trip Plan

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 103.7 miles from Clearwater, KS, or about 1h 54m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.7 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 46 miles or 56m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 103.7 miles or 1h 54m 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 2m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shawnee, KS than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Clearwater, KS 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 Clearwater, KS

This is one driving day of about 207.3 miles and 3h 46m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Clearwater, KS.

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 I 35 for about 101.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 103.7 mi from Clearwater, KS · 1h 54m into the drive

city and county seat in Morris County, Kansas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Council Grove, KS

104 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.

Popular next leg

Council Grove, KS to Shawnee, KS

117 mi · 2h 14m

Pacing Suggestions

Augusta, KS

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Council Grove, KS

Meal break

The midpoint is around 103.7 miles from Clearwater, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 101.7 miles.

Arriving in Shawnee, KS

The final approach into Shawnee, KS usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Shawnee, KS.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.41 one way

$64.82 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 73 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$35.58	$71.17
premium	$4.89	$39.89	$79.79
diesel	$5.61	$45.77	$91.54

Estimated Tolls: $4.37

Kansas Turnpike (87.4 mi) $4.37

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$62–$87

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 72.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	62.2	0	$21.77	$9.95
Efficient EV	51.8	0	$18.14	$8.29
EV Truck/SUV	82.9	1	$29.02	$13.27

Gas CO2

73 kg

EV CO2

24 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 15, 2026

Origin

Clearwater, KS

Evening in Clearwater on Thursday

Local time

7:59 PM

CDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Shawnee, KS

Evening in Shawnee on Thursday

Local time

7:59 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

18 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

3h 46m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Clearwater, KS to Shawnee, KS covers 207.3 miles and takes about 3h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 35, Kansas Turnpike, West 71st Street South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 103.7 miles from Clearwater, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $32.41 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.