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Trip from Forsyth, MO to Lee's Summit, MO

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 56m

Distance

194.6 mi

313 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

33 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 44m ★
6 AM
3h 57m
8 AM
4h 22m
10 AM
4h 6m
12 PM
4h 3m
3 PM
4h 7m
5 PM
4h 21m
8 PM
3h 49m

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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Downtown Forsyth, MO, MO

Forsyth, MO

Lena Khrupina

city in Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri, United States

Lee's Summit, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Forsyth, MO to Lee's Summit, MO covers 194.6 miles and takes about 3h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Kansas Expressway, MO 7, American Legion Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 87.2 miles on North Kansas Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.42 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

97.3 miles from Forsyth, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 59m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 56m. Total distance: 194.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 3h 56m highway drive covering 194.6 miles, with most of the trip on North Kansas Expressway and MO 7. The longest continuous stretch is about 87.2 miles on North Kansas Expressway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Kansas Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 87.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Kansas Expressway and MO 7. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 50.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 13 significant decision points across 194.6 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 50.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 50.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 50.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

5
50.3 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Take the exit toward MO 13: Bolivar

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 77 Toward MO 13: Bolivar
7
50.4 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MO 13: Bolivar

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 77 Toward MO 13: Bolivar
7
50.4 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MO 13 North: Bolivar

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 77 Toward MO 13 North: Bolivar
5
50.4 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in | MO 13 / North Kansas Expressway

Merge onto MO 13 / North Kansas Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
6
177 mi into trip | ~3h 30m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Kansas Expressway 87.2 mi 1h 42m
MO 7 39.2 mi 43m
American Legion Memorial Highway 12.2 mi 14m
US Highway 65 12 mi 13m
Schoolcraft Freeway 10.7 mi 13m
US 160 10.2 mi 15m
MO 58 8.5 mi 11m
MO 291 8.3 mi 12m
Longest stretch: North Kansas Expressway — 87.2 mi, about 1h 42m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Forsyth, MO and Lee's Summit, MO.

1

Start on Rockhill Drive

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Rockhill Drive
2

Turn slight left onto US 160

10 mi · 15 min · US 160
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
4

Merge onto US 65

1.3 mi · 1 min · American Legion Memorial Highway
5

Continue on US 65

12 mi · 13 min · US Highway 65
6

Continue on US 65

11 mi · 12 min · American Legion Memorial Highway
7

Continue on US 65

11 mi · 13 min · Schoolcraft Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 44 West: Joplin
9

Merge onto I 44

4.1 mi · 5 min · Payne Stewart Highway
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Exit 77 Toward MO 13: Bolivar
11

Keep slight left at fork

150 ft · 3 sec
Exit 77 Toward MO 13: Bolivar
12

Keep slight right at fork

209 ft · 7 sec
Exit 77 Toward MO 13 North: Bolivar
13

Merge onto MO 13

87 mi · 1 hr 42 min · North Kansas Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
14

Continue on MO 7

36 mi · 39 min · MO 7
15

Take the exit onto MO 7

3.3 mi · 3 min · MO 7
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
16

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 17 sec
Exit 160 Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
17

Keep slight right at fork

243 ft · 6 sec
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
18

Merge onto MO 291

8.3 mi · 12 min · MO 291
19

Turn slight left onto MO 58; MO 291

8.5 mi · 11 min · MO 58; MO 291
20

Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Southwest Jefferson Street
21

Enter roundabout onto Southwest Jefferson Street

189 ft · 3 sec · Southwest Jefferson Street
22

Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street

0.5 mi · 53 sec · Southwest Jefferson Street
23

Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Southwest 3rd Street
Use the left lane.
24

Arrive at destination

Southwest 3rd 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 97.3 miles from Forsyth, MO, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87.2 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 43 miles or 54m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 97.3 miles or 1h 59m 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 11m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lee's Summit, MO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Forsyth, 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 Forsyth, MO

This is one driving day of about 194.6 miles and 3h 56m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Forsyth, 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 North Kansas Expressway for about 87.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 97.3 mi from Forsyth, MO · 1h 59m into the drive

city and county seat of Polk County, Missouri, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bolivar, MO

97 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

Sparta, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bolivar, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 97.3 miles from Forsyth, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before North Kansas Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 87.2 miles.

Arriving in Lee's Summit, MO

The final approach into Lee's Summit, 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 Lee's Summit, 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.

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

National Battlefield

Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and where the first Union general was killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focuse...

10 mi from route ~25 min detour Free near mile 33.6
Caution: BE AWARE OF HIGH-WATER DANGER
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.42 one way

$60.85 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 68 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $33.40 $66.81
premium $4.89 $37.45 $74.90
diesel $5.61 $42.97 $85.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 68.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

33 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Tesla Destination Charger

Springfield, Missouri

Tesla Destination

1 DCFC

Dynamic Charging Station

Springfield, Missouri

Other

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Springfield, Missouri

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Springfield, Missouri

Tesla

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Springfield, Missouri

Tesla

1 DCFC

Dynamic EV Charging Station

Springfield, Missouri

Other

1 DCFC

Mercedes-Benz Charging Station

Springfield, Missouri

Other

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Ozark, Missouri

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

ChargePoint: 12 Other: 10 Blink: 4 EV Connect: 3 Tesla Destination: 2 Tesla: 2

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 58.4 0 $20.43 $9.34
Efficient EV 48.7 0 $17.03 $7.78
EV Truck/SUV 77.8 0 $27.24 $12.45

Gas CO2

68 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (66% 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

Forsyth, MO

Afternoon in Forsyth on Thursday

Local time

2:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lee's Summit, MO

Afternoon in Lee's Summit on Thursday

Local time

2:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

73°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

3 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 56m 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 Forsyth, MO to Lee's Summit, MO covers 194.6 miles and takes about 3h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Kansas Expressway, MO 7, American Legion Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 97.3 miles from Forsyth, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.42 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 194.6 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 50.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 50.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 50.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Forsyth, MO to Lee's Summit, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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