The drive from Saint Charles, MO to Smithville, MO covers 249 miles and takes about 4h 48m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, I 435, Lamar Hunt Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 211.2 miles on I 70.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.93 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
124.5 miles from Saint Charles, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 24m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 48m. Total distance: 249 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 4h 48m highway drive covering 249 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and I 435. The longest continuous stretch is about 211.2 miles on I 70.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 211.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and I 435. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near I 70.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 48m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 221.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 243.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
221.7 mi into trip|~4h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 435 North, US 24 East: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8B
Toward I 435 North, US 24 East: Des Moines
5
243.2 mi into trip|~4h 39m in
Take the exit toward US 169 North: Smithville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 41B
Toward US 169 North: Smithville
5
243.8 mi into trip|~4h 40m in|US 169
Merge onto US 169
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
249 mi into trip|~4h 48m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
211.2 mi
3h 59m
I 435
11.3 mi
12m
Lamar Hunt Memorial Highway
7.8 mi
9m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
US 169
5 mi
7m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
First Capitol Drive
1.8 mi
4m
I435 N
1.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 211.2 mi, about 3h 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MO and Smithville, MO.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.93 one way
$77.86 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg87 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$42.74
$85.48
premium
$4.89
$47.92
$95.84
diesel
$5.61
$54.98
$109.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
74.7
0
$26.15
$11.95
Efficient EV
62.3
0
$21.79
$9.96
EV Truck/SUV
99.6
1
$34.86
$15.94
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 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
Saint Charles, MO
Afternoon
in Saint Charles on Friday
Local time
4:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Smithville, MO
Afternoon
in Smithville on Friday
Local time
4:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Columbia, MO
125 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
1 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
4h 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 Saint Charles, MO to Smithville, MO covers 249 miles and takes about 4h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, I 435, Lamar Hunt Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 124.5 miles from Saint Charles, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.93 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 straightforward 4h 48m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 221.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 243.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Saint Charles, MO to Smithville, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
