Origin
Hillsdale, MO
Evening in Hillsdale on Friday
Local time
8:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hillsdale, MO to Saint Charles, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hillsdale, MO
Lena Khrupina
Saint Charles, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hillsdale to Saint Charles is 15.6 miles and takes about 23 minutes via I 70, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Missouri, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on the interstate, making it a quick and easy option for a local hop. You'll find the journey efficient, with minimal time spent on the road. Consider this a simple transit rather than a destination drive.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 67% of the drive on interstate. You'll experience a 10.3-mile stretch on I 70, providing a consistent, high-speed experience for a significant portion of the journey. The remaining segments will involve local roads like Lucas-Hunt Road and South Fifth Street, offering a brief change of pace before you reach your destination. Expect a smooth, direct drive with minimal complex navigation.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Lucas-Hunt Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (MO N / Florissant Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road
Turn left onto MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MO N / Florissant Road
Enter roundabout onto MO N / Florissant Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Wentzville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 70 West: Wentzville
7
14.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 70 Business
Take the exit onto I 70 Business toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 229B
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
9
14.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass Pro Drive, Ameristar Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 10.3 mi | 13m |
| Lucas-Hunt Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Fifth Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Florissant Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Saint Louis Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| University Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Natural Bridge Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 10.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hillsdale, MO and Saint Charles, MO.
1
Start on Saint Louis Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint Louis Avenue
2
Turn right onto Lucas-Hunt Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Lucas-Hunt Road
3
Turn left onto MO 115
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Natural Bridge Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Enter roundabout onto MO N
49 ft
·
0 sec
·
Florissant Road
5
Continue on MO N
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Florissant Road
6
Continue on MO N
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
University Boulevard
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 70 West
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward I 70 West: Wentzville
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 70
10 mi
·
13 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto I 70 Business
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 70 Business
Exit 229B
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
231 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass Pro Drive, Ameristar Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12
Turn slight right onto I 70 Business
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Fifth Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Jefferson Street
14
Turn left onto North Second Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Second Street
15
Arrive at destination
North Second Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.44 one way
$4.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.68 | $5.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.00 | $6.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Saint Charles, MO
Evening in Saint Charles on Friday
Local time
8:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
7 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
23m 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 Hillsdale, MO to Saint Charles, MO covers 15.6 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Lucas-Hunt Road, South Fifth Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.8 miles from Hillsdale, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.44 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (MO 115 / Natural Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (MO N / Florissant Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Hillsdale, MO to Saint Charles, 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.
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