The drive from Lee's Summit, MO to High Ridge, MO covers 242.2 miles and takes about 4h 46m 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 $37.87 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
121.1 miles from Lee's Summit, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 14m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 46m. Total distance: 242.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 46m drive with frequent turns across 242.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 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 2.6 miles in.
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 16 significant decision points across 242.2 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 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 204.5 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
5
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis
7
9.8 mi into trip|~14m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 16B
Toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
6
204.5 mi into trip|~3h 53m in|US 40
Take the exit onto US 40 toward I 64 East, US 40 East, US 61 South: Chesterfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 210A
Toward I 64 East, US 40 East, US 61 South: Ches...
5
204.8 mi into trip|~3h 53m in|I 64; US 40; US 61 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge onto I 64; US 40; US 61 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
226.8 mi into trip|~4h 20m in
Take the exit toward MO 141
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22
Toward MO 141
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
22 mi
26m
MO 141
8.5 mi
13m
I 470
7 mi
8m
MO 30
3 mi
4m
Southeast Douglas Street
2.2 mi
4m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 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 Lee's Summit, MO and High Ridge, MO.
1
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
0.3 mi·40 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
2
Continue on Southeast 3rd Street
358 ft·16 sec·Southeast 3rd Street
3
Turn left onto Southeast Douglas Street
2.2 mi·4 min·Southeast Douglas Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis
5
Merge onto I 470
7.0 mi·8 min·I 470
Toward I 470 North: Saint Louis
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·44 sec
Exit 16BToward I 70 East: Saint LouisUse the slight right lane.
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...
17 mi from route
~43 min detour
$19
near mile 233.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.87 one way
$75.73 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$41.57
$83.15
premium
$4.89
$46.61
$93.22
diesel
$5.61
$53.47
$106.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
28 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Tesla Supercharger
Lake St Louis, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
O'Fallon, Missouri
Blink
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Columbia, Missouri
Blink
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Kingdom City, Missouri
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Columbia, Missouri
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Rivian Adventure Network
Columbia, Missouri
Rivian
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Columbia, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Columbia, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 8
Blink: 5
Tesla: 4
Other: 4
Tesla Destination: 3
EV Connect: 2
Rivian: 1
EVgo: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
72.7
0
$25.43
$11.63
Efficient EV
60.6
0
$21.19
$9.69
EV Truck/SUV
96.9
1
$33.91
$15.50
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Lee's Summit, MO
Morning
in Lee's Summit on Saturday
Local time
6:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
41°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:07AM CDT until April 19 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:03AM CDT until April 18 at 10:45AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Destination
High Ridge, MO
Morning
in High Ridge on Saturday
Local time
6:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
16 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 46m 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 Lee's Summit, MO to High Ridge, MO covers 242.2 miles and takes about 4h 46m 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 121.1 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 $37.87 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 242.2 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 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 204.5 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Lee's Summit, MO to High Ridge, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
