The drive from Hutchinson, KS to Altamont, KS covers 189.5 miles and takes about 3h 51m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway, KS 14, Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.9 miles on Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.63 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
94.7 miles from Hutchinson, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 54m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 51m. Total distance: 189.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
The drive from Hutchinson, KS to Altamont, KS covers 189.5 miles and takes about 3h 51m, 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 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 61.9 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 45.6 miles in near KS 96.
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 16 significant decision points across 189.5 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 45.6 miles (KS 96): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.3 miles (KS 96): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.7 miles (KS 96): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
45.6 mi into trip|~54m in|KS 96
Take the exit onto KS 96 toward I 135 South, KS 96 East, US 81 South, KS 15 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 16A
Toward I 135 South, KS 96 East, US 81 South, KS...
6
46.3 mi into trip|~55m in|KS 96
Take the exit onto KS 96 toward KS 96 East: Hydraulic
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward KS 96 East: Hydraulic
7
46.7 mi into trip|~56m in|KS 96
Keep slight left at fork onto KS 96 toward KS 96 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward KS 96 East
6
57.3 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|KS 96
Keep slight left at fork onto KS 96 toward US 54 East, US 400 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 54 East, US 400 East
6
161.6 mi into trip|~3h 12m in
Take the exit toward US 169
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 169
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway
61.9 mi
1h 11m
KS 14
41.7 mi
45m
Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
23.7 mi
27m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
17.5 mi
21m
US 160
15.4 mi
22m
KS 96
11.9 mi
15m
US 169
10.5 mi
12m
North Main Street
2.5 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway
— 61.9 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hutchinson, KS and Altamont, KS.
1
Start on this road
62 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto East 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·21 sec·East 7th Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Main Street
4
Turn right onto West Avenue A
0.2 mi·29 sec·West Avenue A
5
Turn right
0.3 mi·49 sec
6
Continue on Woodie Seat Freeway
0.8 mi·1 min·Woodie Seat Freeway
7
Continue on North Main Street
1.8 mi·3 min·North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on KS 14; KS 96
42 mi·45 min·KS 14; KS 96
Toward WichitaUse the straight lane.
9
Take the exit onto KS 96
0.3 mi·23 sec·KS 96
Exit 16AToward I 135 South, KS 96 East, US 81 South, KS 15 South
10
Merge onto I 135; US 81; KS 15
0.4 mi·28 sec·I 135; US 81; KS 15
11
Take the exit onto KS 96
0.5 mi·1 min·KS 96
Toward KS 96 East: HydraulicUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto KS 96
11 mi·12 min·KS 96
Toward KS 96 EastUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto KS 96
0.6 mi·1 min·KS 96
Toward US 54 East, US 400 East
14
Merge onto US 54; US 400
10 mi·13 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
15
Continue on US 54; US 400
0.7 mi·1 min·West 7th Avenue
16
Continue on US 54; US 77; US 400
7.0 mi·8 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
17
Continue on US 400
62 mi·1 hr 11 min·Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway
18
Enter roundabout onto US 400
157 ft·2 sec·Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
19
Continue on US 400
24 mi·27 min·Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
20
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward US 169Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto US 169
10 mi·12 min·US 169
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Turn left onto US 160
1.4 mi·2 min·4200 Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
23
Turn slight right onto US 160
15 mi·22 min·US 160
24
Turn right onto Huston Avenue
0.2 mi·42 sec·Huston Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Huston Avenue
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 94.7 miles from Hutchinson, KS, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.9 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 42 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.7 miles or 1h 54m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Altamont, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hutchinson, KS 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 Hutchinson, KS
This is one driving day of about 189.5 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Hutchinson, KS.
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 Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway for about 61.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 94.7 mi from Hutchinson, KS
· 1h 54m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.63 one way
$59.25 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$32.53
$65.06
premium
$4.89
$36.47
$72.94
diesel
$5.61
$41.84
$83.68
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: 66.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.9
0
$19.90
$9.10
Efficient EV
47.4
0
$16.58
$7.58
EV Truck/SUV
75.8
0
$26.53
$12.13
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% 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
Hutchinson, KS
Late night
in Hutchinson on Saturday
Local time
1:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Altamont, KS
Late night
in Altamont on Saturday
Local time
1:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
Andover, KS
95 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.
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
21 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 51m 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 Hutchinson, KS to Altamont, KS covers 189.5 miles and takes about 3h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Atomic Veterans Memorial Highway, KS 14, Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 94.7 miles from Hutchinson, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.63 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 16 significant decision points across 189.5 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 45.6 miles (KS 96): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.3 miles (KS 96): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.7 miles (KS 96): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Hutchinson, KS to Altamont, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
