The drive from Crestwood, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 300.9 miles and takes about 5h 46m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 80.7 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.04 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
150.4 miles from Crestwood, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 59m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 46m. Total distance: 300.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 46m drive with frequent turns across 300.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 80.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 300.9 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 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 270: Memphis, Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 270: Memphis, Chicago
8
8.8 mi into trip|~13m in
Take the exit toward I 64, US 40, US 61: Wentzville, Saint Louis
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 12
Toward I 64, US 40, US 61: Wentzville, Saint Lo...
8
9 mi into trip|~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Went...
8
34.9 mi into trip|~46m in|US 40
Take the exit onto US 40 toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
8
236.6 mi into trip|~4h 33m in
Take the exit toward I 435 North, US 24 East: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8B
Toward I 435 North, US 24 East: Des Moines
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
80.7 mi
1h 35m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
54.3 mi
58m
I 29
26 mi
27m
Avenue of the Saints
25.4 mi
30m
I 435
20.9 mi
22m
Lamar Hunt Memorial Highway
7.8 mi
9m
I 270
5.9 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 80.7 mi, about 1h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crestwood, MO and Saint Joseph, MO.
1
Start on MO 366
63 ft·7 sec·Watson Road
2
Turn left
378 ft·33 sec
Use the left lane.
3
Turn sharp left
330 ft·27 sec
4
Turn sharp right onto MO 366
1.9 mi·3 min·Watson Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp onto US Historic 66
0.4 mi·40 sec·US Historic 66
Toward I 44 West, I 270, US 50 West: Tulsa, Chicago, Memphis
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·15 sec
Toward I 270: Memphis, ChicagoUse the straight lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·37 sec
Toward I 270 North: ChicagoUse the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 270
5.9 mi·7 min·I 270
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi·17 sec
Exit 12Toward I 64, US 40, US 61: Wentzville, Saint LouisUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: WentzvilleUse the slight left lane.
11
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·9 sec·this road
Exit 12Toward I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
12
Merge onto I 64; US 40; US 61
25 mi·30 min·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit onto US 40
0.6 mi·1 min·US 40
Exit 1AToward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas CityUse the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Merge onto I 70; US 40
81 mi·1 hr 35 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
15
Continue on I 70; US 40
2.0 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
16
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
17
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
18
Continue on I 70; US 40
54 mi·58 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
The midpoint is around 150.4 miles from Crestwood, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Dwight D Eisenhower Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.7 miles.
Arriving in Saint Joseph, MO
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.04 one way
$94.08 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg105 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$51.65
$103.30
premium
$4.89
$57.91
$115.81
diesel
$5.61
$66.43
$132.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 105.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
90.3
1
$31.59
$14.44
Efficient EV
75.2
0
$26.33
$12.04
EV Truck/SUV
120.4
1
$42.13
$19.26
Gas CO2
105 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Crestwood, MO
Late night
in Crestwood on Saturday
Local time
12:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Saint Joseph, MO
Late night
in Saint Joseph on Saturday
Local time
12:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
SSW 14 mph9% chanceLive 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
11 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 46m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Crestwood, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 300.9 miles and takes about 5h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 150.4 miles from Crestwood, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.04 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 300.9 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Crestwood, MO to Saint Joseph, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Gateway Arch National Park.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
