The drive from Rich Hill, MO to Castle Point, MO covers 296.8 miles and takes about 5h 48m 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, I 49 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 157.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.40 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
148.4 miles from Rich Hill, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 48m. Total distance: 296.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 48m drive with frequent turns across 296.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 36 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 157.4 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 57.9 miles in near MO 291.
Driving Effort10/10
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 23 significant decision points across 296.8 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 57.9 miles (MO 291): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 284.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 23 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
57.9 mi into trip|~1h 9m in|MO 291
Take the exit onto MO 291 toward MO 291 North: Independence, Hamblen Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward MO 291 North: Independence, Hamblen Road
7
67.6 mi into trip|~1h 23m 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
8
284.4 mi into trip|~5h 29m in
Take the exit toward I 270: Chicago, Memphis
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 232
Toward I 270: Chicago, Memphis
7
284.6 mi into trip|~5h 29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 270 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 270 North: Chicago
8
285.3 mi into trip|~5h 30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 270 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 270 North: Chicago
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
157.4 mi
3h 1m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
I 49
39.4 mi
42m
MO 291
18.5 mi
26m
I 270
9 mi
11m
MO 58
8.5 mi
11m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 157.4 mi, about 3h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rich Hill, MO and Castle Point, MO.
1
Start on Park Street
117 ft·10 sec·Park Street
2
Turn left onto 7th Street
390 ft·19 sec·7th Street
3
Turn right onto MO A
0.7 mi·1 min·East Walnut Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·10 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North: Kansas City
5
Merge onto I 49; US 71
39 mi·42 min·I 49; US 71
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·17 sec
Exit 160Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
7
Keep slight right at fork
243 ft·6 sec
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
8
Merge onto MO 291
8.3 mi·12 min·MO 291
9
Turn slight left onto MO 58; MO 291
8.5 mi·11 min·MO 58; MO 291
10
Take the exit onto MO 291
0.6 mi·52 sec·MO 291
Toward US 50 East, MO 291 North: Sedalia
11
Take the exit onto MO 291
0.2 mi·37 sec·MO 291
Toward MO 291 North: Independence, Hamblen RoadUse the slight right lane.
12
Turn left
300 ft·7 sec
13
Continue on MO 291
9.4 mi·12 min·MO 291
14
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...
10 mi from route
~24 min detour
$19
near mile 296.8
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
89
1
$31.16
$14.25
Efficient EV
74.2
0
$25.97
$11.87
EV Truck/SUV
118.7
1
$41.55
$19.00
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% 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
Rich Hill, MO
Morning
in Rich Hill on Friday
Local time
9:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Castle Point, MO
Morning
in Castle Point on Friday
Local time
9:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Fayette, MO
148 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
18 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 48m 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 Rich Hill, MO to Castle Point, MO covers 296.8 miles and takes about 5h 48m 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, I 49. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 148.4 miles from Rich Hill, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.40 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 23 significant decision points across 296.8 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 57.9 miles (MO 291): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 284.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Rich Hill, MO to Castle Point, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Gateway Arch National 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
