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Trip from Lee's Summit, MO to Shell Knob, MO

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

3h 55m

Distance

198.8 mi

320 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 42m ★
6 AM
3h 55m
8 AM
4h 21m
10 AM
4h 4m
12 PM
4h 2m
3 PM
4h 5m
5 PM
4h 20m
8 PM
3h 47m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri, United States

Lee's Summit, MO

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Downtown Shell Knob, MO, MO

Shell Knob, MO

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Trip Overview

The drive from Lee's Summit, MO to Shell Knob, MO covers 198.8 miles and takes about 3h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 49, Congressman Gene Taylor Highway, State Highway 39 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 113.6 miles on I 49. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.08 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

99.4 miles from Lee's Summit, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 3h 55m highway drive covering 198.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 49 and Congressman Gene Taylor Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 113.6 miles on I 49.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 49 is the longest continuous segment at about 113.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and Congressman Gene Taylor Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 55m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 131.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Enter roundabout

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
17.7 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward I 49 South, US 71 South: Joplin

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 49 South, US 71 South: Joplin
6
131.8 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in

Take the exit toward I 44 East: Springfield

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 46B Toward I 44 East: Springfield
6
160.3 mi into trip | ~2h 59m in

Take the exit toward MO 39, MO 265, I 44 Business: Mount Vernon, Aurora

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 46 Toward MO 39, MO 265, I 44 Business: Mount Vern...
6
198.7 mi into trip | ~3h 55m in | Farm Road 1240

Turn sharp right onto Farm Road 1240

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

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 Lee's Summit, MO to Shell Knob, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Aurora along the way.

Aurora

160.3 mi in | ~2h 59m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 49 113.6 mi 2h 1m
Congressman Gene Taylor Highway 28.2 mi 30m
State Highway 39 24.1 mi 32m
MO 291 16.9 mi 24m
MO 39 10.5 mi 15m
South Elliott Avenue 3.4 mi 5m
Southwest Jefferson Street 0.5 mi <1m
George Washington Carver Memorial Highway 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 49 — 113.6 mi, about 2h 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lee's Summit, MO and Shell Knob, MO.

1

Start on Southwest 3rd Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Southwest 3rd Street
2

Turn right onto Southwest Jefferson Street

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Southwest Jefferson Street
3

Enter roundabout

251 ft · 5 sec
4

Continue

367 ft · 9 sec
5

Continue on MO 291

17 mi · 24 min · MO 291
6

Continue on Cantrell Road

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Cantrell Road
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 49 South, US 71 South: Joplin
8

Merge onto I 49; US 71

114 mi · 2 hr 1 min · I 49; US 71
9

Continue on MO 59

0.3 mi · 23 sec · George Washington Carver Memorial Highway
Exit 46A Toward MO 59 South: Diamond
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec
Exit 46B Toward I 44 East: Springfield
11

Merge onto I 44; I 49; US 71

28 mi · 30 min · Congressman Gene Taylor Highway
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 46 Toward MO 39, MO 265, I 44 Business: Mount Vernon, Aurora
13

Turn right onto MO 39; MO 265

10 mi · 15 min · MO 39; MO 265
14

Turn right onto MO 39; MO 265

3.4 mi · 5 min · South Elliott Avenue
15

Continue on MO 39

24 mi · 32 min · State Highway 39
16

Turn right onto Farm Road 1230

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Farm Road 1230
17

Turn sharp right onto Farm Road 1240

45 ft · 2 sec · Farm Road 1240
18

Arrive at destination

Farm Road 1240

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 99.4 miles from Lee's Summit, MO, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.6 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 80 miles or 1h 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 99.4 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 4m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Lee's Summit, 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 Lee's Summit, MO

This is one driving day of about 198.8 miles and 3h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lee's Summit, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 49 for about 113.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 99.4 mi from Lee's Summit, MO · 1h 54m into the drive

Downtown Bella Vista, AR, AR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bella Vista, AR

99 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

Nevada, MO

Fuel and coffee

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

Bella Vista, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 99.4 miles from Lee's Summit, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 49 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 113.6 miles.

Arriving in Shell Knob, MO

The final approach into Shell Knob, 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 Shell Knob, MO.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$31.08 one way

$62.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 70 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $34.12 $68.25
premium $4.89 $38.26 $76.51
diesel $5.61 $43.89 $87.79

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 69.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 59.6 0 $20.87 $9.54
Efficient EV 49.7 0 $17.40 $7.95
EV Truck/SUV 79.5 0 $27.83 $12.72

Gas CO2

70 kg

EV CO2

23 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 data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Lee's Summit, MO

Night in Lee's Summit on Tuesday

Local time

9:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 16 to 21 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:50AM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:39AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Shell Knob, MO

Night in Shell Knob on Tuesday

Local time

9:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

74°F

Bella Vista, AR

99 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

22 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 55m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Lee's Summit, MO to Shell Knob, MO covers 198.8 miles and takes about 3h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 49, Congressman Gene Taylor Highway, State Highway 39. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 99.4 miles from Lee's Summit, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.08 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 straightforward 3h 55m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 131.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Lee's Summit, MO to Shell Knob, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Aurora along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Shell Knob, MO to Lee's Summit, MO

Plan the drive back the other way.

198.3 mi 3h 54m

Continue From Shell Knob, MO

Columbia, MO 224.3 mi · 4h 34m Kansas City, MO 215.9 mi · 4h 11m

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