The drive from Maize, KS to Leavenworth, KS covers 203.5 miles and takes about 3h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kansas Turnpike, KS 254, K-7 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 152.4 miles on Kansas Turnpike.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.81 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
101.7 miles from Maize, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 38m. Total distance: 203.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 38m highway drive covering 203.5 miles, with most of the trip on Kansas Turnpike and KS 254. The longest continuous stretch is about 152.4 miles on Kansas Turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kansas Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 152.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Kansas Turnpike and KS 254. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Heather Lane.
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 17 significant decision points across 203.5 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 0.1 miles (North Heather Lane): Navigation decision point; at 90.2 miles (I 335 / Kansas Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 186.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Heather Lane
Turn right onto North Heather Lane
Navigation decision point
6
90.2 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|I 335 / Kansas Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 335 / Kansas Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
186.5 mi into trip|~3h 12m in
Take the exit toward KS 7, US 73, US 24 West, US 40 West: Bonner Springs, Leavenworth
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 224
Toward KS 7, US 73, US 24 West, US 40 West: Bon...
8
187.3 mi into trip|~3h 13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward KS 7 North, US 73 North, US 24 West, US 40 West: Lansing
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward KS 7 North, US 73 North, US 24 West, US...
6
187.3 mi into trip|~3h 13m in|K-7
Turn left onto K-7
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Kansas Turnpike
152.4 mi
2h 32m
KS 254
24.7 mi
27m
K-7
15.5 mi
23m
KS 96
8.3 mi
9m
Spruce Street
0.6 mi
1m
North Maize Road
0.1 mi
<1m
East Hickory Lane
0.1 mi
<1m
Harvest Lane
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Kansas Turnpike
— 152.4 mi, about 2h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maize, KS and Leavenworth, KS.
1
Start on North Queen Street
58 ft·2 sec·North Queen Street
2
Continue on Harvest Lane
442 ft·21 sec·Harvest Lane
3
Turn right onto North Heather Lane
225 ft·15 sec·North Heather Lane
4
Turn left onto East Hickory Lane
0.1 mi·33 sec·East Hickory Lane
5
Turn left onto North Maize Road
0.1 mi·18 sec·North Maize Road
6
Turn right onto West 53rd Street North
287 ft·6 sec·West 53rd Street North
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward KS 96 East
8
Merge onto KS 96
8.3 mi·9 min·KS 96
9
Continue on KS 254
25 mi·27 min·KS 254
Toward KS 254, El DoradoUse the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
267 ft·7 sec
11
Merge onto Boyer Road
260 ft·7 sec·Boyer Road
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
13
Turn straight
0.2 mi·20 sec
14
Merge onto I 35
56 mi·56 min·Kansas Turnpike
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 335
96 mi·1 hr 36 min·Kansas Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 224Toward KS 7, US 73, US 24 West, US 40 West: Bonner Springs, LeavenworthUse the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork
238 ft·13 sec
Toward KS 7 North, US 73 North, US 24 West, US 40 West: LansingUse the straight / left lanes.
18
Turn left onto K-7
16 mi·23 min·K-7
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn left onto KS 92
0.6 mi·1 min·Spruce Street
20
Turn right
277 ft·20 sec
21
Arrive at destination
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 101.7 miles from Maize, KS, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 152.4 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 45 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.7 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leavenworth, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Maize, KS 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 Maize, KS
This is one driving day of about 203.5 miles and 3h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Maize, KS.
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 Kansas Turnpike for about 152.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 101.7 mi from Maize, KS
· 1h 47m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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,...
3 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 140.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.81 one way
$63.63 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$34.93
$69.86
premium
$4.89
$39.16
$78.32
diesel
$5.61
$44.93
$89.86
Estimated Tolls: $7.62
Kansas Turnpike
(152.4 mi)$7.62
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
$32
Tolls
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
3 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
ChargePoint Charging Station
El Dorado, Kansas
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Francis Energy Charging Station
Matfield Green, Kansas
Other
1 DCFC
Rivian Adventure Network
Wichita, Kansas
Rivian
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 1
Other: 1
Rivian: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.1
0
$21.37
$9.77
Efficient EV
50.9
0
$17.81
$8.14
EV Truck/SUV
81.4
1
$28.49
$13.02
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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 as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Maize, KS
Afternoon
in Maize on Friday
Local time
12:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Leavenworth, KS
Afternoon
in Leavenworth on Friday
Local time
12:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
34 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 38m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Maize, KS to Leavenworth, KS covers 203.5 miles and takes about 3h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kansas Turnpike, KS 254, K-7. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 101.7 miles from Maize, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.81 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 demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 203.5 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 0.1 miles (North Heather Lane): Navigation decision point; at 90.2 miles (I 335 / Kansas Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 186.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Maize, KS to Leavenworth, KS 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.
