The drive from Hugoton, KS to Leavenworth, KS covers 422 miles and takes about 8h 3m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, North Main Street, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.3 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $65.97 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
211 miles from Hugoton, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 18m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
8h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Hugoton, KS to Leavenworth, KS covers 422 miles and takes about 8h 3m, 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 31 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 90.3 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 early in the drive near West 7th Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 422 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: near the start (West 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 363.9 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 405.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West 7th Street
Turn right onto West 7th Street
Navigation decision point
6
363.9 mi into trip|~6h 55m in|I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway toward I-70 East, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-70 East, Kansas City
8
405.1 mi into trip|~7h 37m in
Take the exit toward KS 7, US 73, US 24 West, US 40 West: Bonner Springs, Leavenworth
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 224
Toward KS 7, US 73, US 24 West, US 40 West: Bon...
8
405.8 mi into trip|~7h 39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward KS 7 North, US 73 North, US 24 West, US 40 West: Lansing
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward KS 7 North, US 73 North, US 24 West, US...
6
405.9 mi into trip|~7h 39m in|K-7
Turn left onto K-7
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hugoton, KS and Leavenworth, KS, road signs point toward Salina and Kansas City.
The midpoint is around 220.2 miles from Hugoton, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Leavenworth, KS
The final approach into Leavenworth, KS 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 Leavenworth, KS.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Leavenworth, KS with some flexibility left in the schedule.
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.
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,...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
near mile 363.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$65.97 one way
$131.95 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg148 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$72.44
$144.88
premium
$4.89
$81.21
$162.42
diesel
$5.61
$93.17
$186.34
Estimated Tolls: $2.02
Kansas Turnpike
(40.4 mi)$2.02
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$66
Tolls
$2
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$198–$308
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 147.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
126.6
1
$44.31
$20.26
Efficient EV
105.5
1
$36.93
$16.88
EV Truck/SUV
168.8
2
$59.08
$27.01
Gas CO2
148 kg
EV CO2
49 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 17, 2026
Origin
Hugoton, KS
Evening
in Hugoton on Friday
Local time
5:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
N 15 to 33 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Leavenworth, KS
Evening
in Leavenworth on Friday
Local time
5:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
Lincoln, KS
211 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
15 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
8h 3m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Hugoton, KS to Leavenworth, KS covers 422 miles and takes about 8h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, North Main Street, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 211 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 211 miles from Hugoton, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $65.97 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 2 meaningful breaks 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 22 significant decision points across 422 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: near the start (West 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 363.9 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 405.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Hugoton, KS and Leavenworth, KS, road signs point toward Salina and Kansas City.
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.
