The drive from Ness City, KS to Leawood, KS covers 319.4 miles and takes about 5h 55m 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, West Sycamore Street, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.3 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.93 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
159.7 miles from Ness City, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 3m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 55m. Total distance: 319.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 55m drive with frequent turns across 319.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 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 90.3 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 115.9 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 14 significant decision points across 319.4 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 115.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 256.2 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 270.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
115.9 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Take the ramp toward I-70 East, Salina
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-70 East, Salina
6
256.2 mi into trip|~4h 42m in|I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway toward I-70 East, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-70 East, Kansas City
6
270.9 mi into trip|~4h 57m in
Take the exit toward KS 10: Lecompton, Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 197
Toward KS 10: Lecompton, Lawrence
7
307.8 mi into trip|~5h 38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 435 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 435 East
7
316.3 mi into trip|~5h 48m in
Take the exit toward State Line Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 75B
Toward State Line Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ness City, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Kansas City and Lawrence.
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,...
0 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
near mile 253.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.93 one way
$99.87 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg112 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$54.83
$109.65
premium
$4.89
$61.47
$122.93
diesel
$5.61
$70.52
$141.04
Estimated Tolls: $0.70
Kansas Turnpike
(14 mi)$0.70
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
$50
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
95.8
1
$33.54
$15.33
Efficient EV
79.9
0
$27.95
$12.78
EV Truck/SUV
127.8
1
$44.72
$20.44
Gas CO2
112 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 16, 2026
Origin
Ness City, KS
Afternoon
in Ness City on Friday
Local time
4:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Leawood, KS
Afternoon
in Leawood on Friday
Local time
4:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Manhattan, KS
160 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
32 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 55m 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 Ness City, KS to Leawood, KS covers 319.4 miles and takes about 5h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, West Sycamore Street, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 159.7 miles from Ness City, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.93 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 14 significant decision points across 319.4 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 115.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 256.2 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 270.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Ness City, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Kansas City and Lawrence.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Brown v. Board of Education National Historical 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.
