Trip from Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO

Drive Time

6h 45m

Distance

326.8 mi

526 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Joplin, MO

Miloš Steklý

Caruthersville, MO

Renegade Lenz

Trip Overview

The drive from Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO covers 326.8 miles and takes about 6h 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East 7th Street, Cimarron Road, I 44 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.64 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

163.4 miles from Joplin, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 22m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 45m drive with frequent turns across 326.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East 7th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 45m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East 7th Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Cimarron Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 44 East	Unavailable	Refreshing
Congressman Gene Taylor Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
MO 360 East	Unavailable	Refreshing
James River Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 60 East	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Westwood Boulevard	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East 7th Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joplin, MO and Caruthersville, MO.

Start on the route

220 ft · 18 sec · the route

At the end of the road, turn right

194 ft · 19 sec

Turn left onto East 7th Street

6.8 mi · 14 min · East 7th Street

Continue on Cimarron Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Cimarron Road

Take the ramp slight right toward I 44 East, I 49 North, US 71 North: Springfield, Kansas City

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 44 East, I 49 North, US 71 North: Springfield, Kansas City

Merge slight left onto Congressman Gene Taylor Highway

53 mi · 57 min · Congressman Gene Taylor Highway

Take the exit slight right toward MO 360 East

0.3 mi · 31 sec · MO 360 East

Continue on James River Freeway

14 mi · 16 min · James River Freeway

Continue straight

81 mi · 1 hr 34 min

Keep slight left to continue on US 60 East: Mountain View, Poplar Bluff

90 mi · 1 hr 46 min · US 60 East: Mountain View, Poplar Bluff

Keep slight right

4.8 mi · 6 min

Turn straight onto North Westwood Boulevard

1.6 mi · 2 min · North Westwood Boulevard

Continue on State Street

0.3 mi · 26 sec · State Street

Continue on North Westwood Boulevard

2.3 mi · 3 min · North Westwood Boulevard

Turn slight left

135 ft · 7 sec

Turn slight left

35 mi · 51 min

At the end of the road, turn right

12 mi · 17 min

Turn left onto 1st Street

20 mi · 23 min · 1st Street

Take the exit slight right toward MO U: Caruthersville

0.2 mi · 29 sec · MO U: Caruthersville

Turn left onto State Hwy U

135 ft · 3 sec · State Hwy U

Continue straight

1.4 mi · 2 min

Continue straight

0.3 mi · 32 sec

At the end of the road, turn left onto South Ward Avenue

1.3 mi · 3 min · South Ward Avenue

Turn left onto West 3rd Street

509 ft · 19 sec · West 3rd Street

Turn left

46 ft · 3 sec

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 163.4 miles from Joplin, MO, or about 3h 22m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 163.4 miles or 3h 22m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Caruthersville, MO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Joplin, 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 Joplin, MO

This is one driving day of about 326.8 miles and 6h 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Joplin, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 163.4 mi from Joplin, MO · 3h 22m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bono, AR

163 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

Bentonville, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bono, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 163.4 miles from Joplin, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Caruthersville, MO

The final approach into Caruthersville, 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 Caruthersville, MO.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$49.64 one way

$99.28 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 114 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$54.72	$109.44
premium	$4.80	$61.69	$123.39
diesel	$5.64	$72.60	$145.21

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: 114.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	98	1	$34.31	$15.69
Efficient EV	81.7	0	$28.60	$13.07
EV Truck/SUV	130.7	1	$45.75	$20.92

Gas CO2

114 kg

EV CO2

38 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Joplin, MO

Afternoon in Joplin on Sunday

Local time

2:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Caruthersville, MO

Afternoon in Caruthersville on Sunday

Local time

2:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

81°F

Bono, AR

163 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

23 degrees warmer at arrival

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

Road read

6h 45m 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 Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO covers 326.8 miles and takes about 6h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East 7th Street, Cimarron Road, I 44 East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 163.4 miles from Joplin, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.64 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.

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 45m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.