Origin
Columbia, MO
Afternoon in Columbia on Saturday
Local time
1:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MO to Doniphan, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 11m
Distance
235.8 mi
379 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 58m
★
6 AM
5h 12m
8 AM
5h 38m
10 AM
5h 21m
12 PM
5h 18m
3 PM
5h 22m
5 PM
5h 37m
8 PM
5h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Doniphan, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbia, MO to Doniphan, MO covers 235.8 miles and takes about 5h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 63, South Main Street, US 60 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 88.6 miles on US 63. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
117.9 miles from Columbia, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 63 | 88.6 mi | 1h 48m |
| South Main Street | 54.4 mi | 1h 15m |
| US 60 | 36.6 mi | 42m |
| MO 72 | 24.3 mi | 31m |
| MO 21 | 24.3 mi | 36m |
| East Stadium Boulevard | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| MO 32 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Providence Road | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
US 63
— 88.6 mi, about 1h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MO and Doniphan, MO.
1
Start on MO 163
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Providence Road
2
Turn left onto MO 740
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
East Stadium Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward US 63 South: Jefferson City
4
Merge onto US 63
25 mi
·
27 min
·
US 63
5
Take the exit onto US 63
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
US 63
Toward US 54 West, US 63 South: Jefferson City
6
Take the exit onto US 63
217 ft
·
4 sec
·
US 63
Toward US 63 South, US 50
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 63
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 63
Toward US 63 South, US 50
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 63
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 63
Toward US 63 South, US 50 East
Use the slight left lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 63
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 63
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 63
49 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 63
Toward US 63 South: Rolla
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto North Walnut Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Walnut Street
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on East 18th Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
East 18th Street
13
Turn right onto Holloway Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Holloway Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
At end of road, turn left onto Salem Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Salem Avenue
15
Turn left onto MO 72
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
MO 72
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on MO 72
22 mi
·
27 min
·
MO 72
Use the straight lane.
17
At end of road, turn left onto MO 32; MO 72
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
MO 32; MO 72
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto MO 19
54 mi
·
1 hr 15 min
·
South Main Street
19
Turn left onto US 60
37 mi
·
42 min
·
US 60
20
Turn right onto MO 21
24 mi
·
36 min
·
MO 21
21
Turn left onto MO 142
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Walnut Street
22
Turn left onto Plum Street
169 ft
·
7 sec
·
Plum Street
23
Arrive at destination
Plum 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 117.9 miles from Columbia, MO, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 88.6 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 52 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 117.9 miles or 2h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Doniphan, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Columbia, 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 Columbia, MO
This is one driving day of about 235.8 miles and 5h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Columbia, 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 US 63 for about 88.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
118 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 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 117.9 miles from Columbia, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 63 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 88.6 miles.
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 185 decision points cluster between mile 30.4 and 93.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
30.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 63
Keep slight left at fork onto US 63 toward US 63 South, US 50
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 63 South, US 50
9
30.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
US 63
Keep slight left at fork onto US 63 toward US 63 South, US 50 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 63 South, US 50 East
7
42.6 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 63
Keep slight right at fork onto US 63 toward US 63 South: Rolla
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 63 South: Rolla
6
92 mi into trip
|
~1h 54m in
|
North Walnut Street
Turn left onto North Walnut Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
93.9 mi into trip
|
~2h in
|
MO 72
Turn left onto MO 72
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.86 one way
$73.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
83 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $40.48 | $80.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $45.38 | $90.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $52.06 | $104.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 70.7 | 0 | $24.76 | $11.32 |
| Efficient EV | 59 | 0 | $20.63 | $9.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 94.3 | 1 | $33.01 | $15.09 |
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Doniphan, MO
Afternoon in Doniphan on Saturday
Local time
1:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Salem, MO
118 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
3 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
5h 11m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
235.8 mi in 5h 11m, mostly highway — 88.6 mi of that is on US 63.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 88.6 mi on US 63.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 63 and South Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 30.4 miles in near US 63.
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 18 significant decision points across 235.8 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: at 30.4 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.5 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.6 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,304 ft
398 ft
Total Climb
973 ft
Total Descent
1,282 ft
Highest Point
1,304 ft
~134.7 mi in
Elevation Range
906 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 11m. Total distance: 235.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 88.6 miles on US 63. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Doniphan, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 30.4 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.5 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.6 miles (US 63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Doniphan, MO before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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