The drive from Fort Dodge, KS to Atchison, KS covers 322.1 miles and takes about 6h 7m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, KS 156 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 81.6 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $50.36 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
161.1 miles from Fort Dodge, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 13m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 7m. Total distance: 322.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 7m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Fort Dodge, KS to Atchison, KS covers 322.1 miles and takes about 6h 7m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 81.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near 117 Road.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 322.1 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 1.8 miles (117 Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 82 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 134.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 24 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.8 mi into trip|~2m in|117 Road
Turn sharp left onto 117 Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
82 mi into trip|~1h 42m in|Washington Street
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
5
134.6 mi into trip|~2h 46m in
Take the ramp toward I-70 East, Salina
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-70 East, Salina
7
267.1 mi into trip|~5h in|US 75
Keep slight left at fork onto US 75 toward US 75 North: Holton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 75 North: Holton
6
268.5 mi into trip|~5h 2m in
Take the exit toward US 24 East: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 24 East: Lawrence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fort Dodge, KS and Atchison, KS, road signs point toward Salina and Holton.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 266.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.36 one way
$100.71 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg113 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$55.29
$110.58
premium
$4.89
$61.99
$123.97
diesel
$5.61
$71.12
$142.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 112.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
4 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
EVgo Charging Station
Salina, Kansas
EVgo
1 DCFC
IONNA Charging Station
Abilene, Kansas
Other
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station
Salina, Kansas
Electrify America
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Abilene, Kansas
EV Connect
1 DCFC
EVgo: 1
Other: 1
Electrify America: 1
EV Connect: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
96.6
1
$33.82
$15.46
Efficient EV
80.5
0
$28.18
$12.88
EV Truck/SUV
128.8
1
$45.09
$20.61
Gas CO2
113 kg
EV CO2
38 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Fort Dodge, KS
Late night
in Fort Dodge on Saturday
Local time
1:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Atchison, KS
Late night
in Atchison on Saturday
Local time
1:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°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
31 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
6h 7m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Fort Dodge, KS to Atchison, KS covers 322.1 miles and takes about 6h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, KS 156. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 161.1 miles from Fort Dodge, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.36 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 24 significant decision points across 322.1 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 1.8 miles (117 Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 82 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 134.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Fort Dodge, KS and Atchison, KS, road signs point toward Salina and Holton.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
