Drive Time
4h 11m
Distance
277.9 mi
447 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
Photo: Andrés Oliver Joya Zapata
The drive from Cottleville, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 277.9 miles and takes about 4h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Oak Street, Motherhead Road, Gutermuth Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.26 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
139 miles from Cottleville, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 5m into the drive .
Expect a 4h 11m drive with frequent turns across 277.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Very easy — mostly straight driving
Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 11m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cottleville, MO to Saint Joseph, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Oak Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Motherhead Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Gutermuth Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| the route | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| MO 364 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 64 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Avenue of the Saints | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 70 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Cottleville, MO and Saint Joseph, MO.
Start on Main Street
Turn right onto Oak Street
Turn right
Continue on Motherhead Road
Turn right onto Gutermuth Road
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route
Exit the roundabout
Take the ramp slight right toward MO 364 West
Merge slight left
Take the exit slight right toward I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
Take the exit slight left toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Merge slight left onto Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Continue on Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
Continue on Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Continue on Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Continue on George Brett Super Highway
Take the exit slight right toward I 435 North, US 24 East: Des Moines
Merge slight left onto Lamar Hunt Memorial Highway
Continue on I435 N
Continue straight
Keep slight left to continue on I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
Take the exit slight right toward I 229 North: Downtown Saint Joseph
Continue straight
Take the exit slight right toward Central Business District
Continue on Edmond Street
Turn left onto South 10th Street
Turn right onto Frederick Avenue
Turn slight right onto Walter Welsh Avenue
Arrive at your destination
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.
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 80 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139 miles or 2h 5m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Joseph, MO than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Cottleville, 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 Cottleville, MO
This is one driving day of about 277.9 miles and 4h 11m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 139 mi from Cottleville, MO · 2h 5m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
139 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.
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 139 miles from Cottleville, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Saint Joseph, MO 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 Saint Joseph, MO.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$41.26 one way
$82.52 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $46.53 | $93.06 |
| premium | $4.65 | $50.92 | $101.84 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $58.03 | $116.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 83.4 | 1 | $29.18 | $13.34 |
| Efficient EV | 69.5 | 0 | $24.32 | $11.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 111.2 | 1 | $38.91 | $17.79 |
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Afternoon in Cottleville on Saturday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Afternoon in Saint Joseph on Saturday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
55°F
Quincy, IL
139 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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