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Trip from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 5m

Distance

60.3 mi

97 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 0m ★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Geary County, Kansas, United States

Junction City, KS

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS covers 60.3 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Southwest Arrowhead Road, Southwest Huntoon Street, Southwest Wanamaker Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.43 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 60.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 5m drive with frequent turns across 60.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southwest Arrowhead Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS is easy. At 1h 5m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Southwest Arrowhead Road
Southwest Huntoon Street
Southwest Wanamaker Road
I 70 West
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
J Hill Road
East 6th Street
North Jefferson Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Southwest Arrowhead Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Shawnee County, KS and Junction City, KS.

1

Start on the route

131 ft · 10 sec · the route
2

Turn slight right

138 ft · 12 sec
3

At the end of the road, turn right onto Southwest Arrowhead Road

0.1 mi · 38 sec · Southwest Arrowhead Road
4

Turn left onto Southwest Huntoon Street

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Southwest Huntoon Street
5

Turn right onto Southwest Wanamaker Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Southwest Wanamaker Road
6

Take the ramp slight right toward I 70 West: Salina

0.2 mi · 42 sec · I 70 West: Salina
7

Merge slight left onto Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

57 mi · 57 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
8

Take the exit slight right toward J Hill Road, Flinthills Boulevard

0.2 mi · 32 sec · J Hill Road, Flinthills Boulevard
9

Turn right onto J Hill Road

292 ft · 11 sec · J Hill Road
10

Turn left onto East 6th Street

1.7 mi · 3 min · East 6th Street
11

Turn right onto North Jefferson Street

131 ft · 6 sec · North Jefferson Street
12

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 30.2 mi from Shawnee County, KS · 32m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Newbury, KS

30 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Silver Lake, KS

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Newbury, KS

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.2 miles from Shawnee County, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Junction City, KS

The final approach into Junction City, KS usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.43 one way

$18.85 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.35 $20.70
premium $4.89 $11.60 $23.21
diesel $5.61 $13.31 $26.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.1 0 $6.33 $2.89
Efficient EV 15.1 0 $5.28 $2.41
EV Truck/SUV 24.1 0 $8.44 $3.86

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (67% 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 10, 2026

Origin

Shawnee County, KS

Afternoon in Shawnee County on Thursday

Local time

3:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Junction City, KS

Afternoon in Junction City on Thursday

Local time

3:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

54°F

Newbury, KS

30 mi in

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

3 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

1h 5m 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 Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS covers 60.3 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southwest Arrowhead Road, Southwest Huntoon Street, Southwest Wanamaker Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.2 miles from Shawnee County, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.43 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS is easy. At 1h 5m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Shawnee County, KS to Junction City, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore more options from Shawnee County, KS or browse trips ending in Junction City, KS.

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