The drive from Kansas City, MO to Arnold, MO covers 252.2 miles and takes about 4h 52m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 135.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.43 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
126.1 miles from Kansas City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 19m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 52m. Total distance: 252.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 52m drive with frequent turns across 252.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 135.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 233.5 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 252.2 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 233.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 233.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
233.5 mi into trip|~4h 27m in
Take the exit toward I 270: Chicago, Memphis
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 25
Toward I 270: Chicago, Memphis
7
233.8 mi into trip|~4h 27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 270 South: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 South: Memphis
8
245.6 mi into trip|~4h 42m in
Take the exit toward I 55, US 61, US 67: Saint Louis, Memphis, Lemay Ferry Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 55, US 61, US 67: Saint Louis, Memphis...
7
250.7 mi into trip|~4h 49m in
Take the exit toward MO 141: Arnold
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 191
Toward MO 141: Arnold
8
250.9 mi into trip|~4h 49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MO 141 South: Arnold
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MO 141 South: Arnold
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kansas City, MO to Arnold, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.
Memphis
233.5 mi in|~4h 27m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
135.3 mi
2h 34m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Avenue of the Saints
25.1 mi
30m
I 270
11.5 mi
14m
George Brett Super Highway
6.9 mi
9m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
Officer Thomas G. Smith, Jr. Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 135.3 mi, about 2h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kansas City, MO and Arnold, MO.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
$19
near mile 243.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.43 one way
$78.86 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg88 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$43.29
$86.58
premium
$4.89
$48.53
$97.07
diesel
$5.61
$55.68
$111.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.7
0
$26.48
$12.11
Efficient EV
63.1
0
$22.07
$10.09
EV Truck/SUV
100.9
1
$35.31
$16.14
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Kansas City, MO
Afternoon
in Kansas City on Friday
Local time
3:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Arnold, MO
Afternoon
in Arnold on Friday
Local time
3:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 13 mph20% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 12:41PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 12:41PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
12 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
4h 52m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Kansas City, MO to Arnold, MO covers 252.2 miles and takes about 4h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, Avenue of the Saints. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 126.1 miles from Kansas City, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $39.43 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 252.2 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 233.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 233.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Kansas City, MO to Arnold, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Memphis along the way.
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.
