The drive from Lenexa, KS to Smith Center, KS covers 267.5 miles and takes about 5h 12m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Gold Road, KS 10 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52.4 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.82 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
133.7 miles from Lenexa, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 31m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 12m. Total distance: 267.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Lenexa, KS to Smith Center, KS covers 267.5 miles and takes about 5h 12m, 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 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 52.4 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 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 25 significant decision points across 267.5 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 25 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.6 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wichita
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wi...
8
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward I 435 West, KS 10 West
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 222B
Toward I 435 West, KS 10 West
6
2.5 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
2.9 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
8
53.6 mi into trip|~1h in|I 70 / Kansas Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 / Kansas Turnpike toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lenexa, KS and Smith Center, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Manhattan and Council Grove.
Salina
53.6 mi in|~1h|via I 70
Manhattan
107 mi in|~1h 56m
Council Grove
107 mi in|~1h 56m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
52.4 mi
54m
Gold Road
36.8 mi
44m
KS 10
36.7 mi
40m
Eagle Road
24.2 mi
27m
18th Road
19.7 mi
22m
KS 181
19.2 mi
22m
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
15.2 mi
19m
Kansas Turnpike
14.3 mi
14m
Longest stretch:
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
— 52.4 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lenexa, KS and Smith Center, KS.
1
Start on this road
256 ft·20 sec·this road
2
Turn right
71 ft·10 sec
3
Turn left onto Rosehill Road
500 ft·21 sec·Rosehill Road
4
Turn right onto Lenexa Drive
0.1 mi·31 sec·Lenexa Drive
5
Continue on Lenexa Drive
0.1 mi·33 sec·Lenexa Drive
6
Turn right onto West 95th Street
0.2 mi·19 sec·West 95th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: WichitaUse the straight / left lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35; US 56; US 169
0.9 mi·59 sec·I 35; US 56; US 169
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 222BToward I 435 West, KS 10 WestUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·33 sec
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward KS 10 West: LawrenceUse the slight left lane.
12
Continue on KS 10
37 mi·40 min·KS 10
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
14
Merge onto I 70
13 mi·13 min·Kansas Turnpike
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
0.9 mi·1 min·Kansas Turnpike
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, SalinaUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
The midpoint is around 133.7 miles from Lenexa, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Smith Center, KS
The final approach into Smith Center, KS 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 Smith Center, KS.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.82 one way
$83.64 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg94 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$45.92
$91.83
premium
$4.89
$51.48
$102.96
diesel
$5.61
$59.06
$118.12
Estimated Tolls: $0.72
Kansas Turnpike
(14.3 mi)$0.72
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80.3
0
$28.09
$12.84
Efficient EV
66.9
0
$23.41
$10.70
EV Truck/SUV
107
1
$37.45
$17.12
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 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 15, 2026
Origin
Lenexa, KS
Night
in Lenexa on Thursday
Local time
9:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Smith Center, KS
Night
in Smith Center on Thursday
Local time
9:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Manhattan, KS
134 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
5h 12m 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 Lenexa, KS to Smith Center, KS covers 267.5 miles and takes about 5h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Gold Road, KS 10. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 133.7 miles from Lenexa, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.82 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 25 significant decision points across 267.5 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Lenexa, KS and Smith Center, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Manhattan and Council Grove.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park.
