The drive from Smith Center, KS to Leawood, KS covers 275.5 miles and takes about 5h 22m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 24, Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, South Lawrence Trafficway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 100.2 miles on US 24.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.07 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
137.8 miles from Smith Center, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 45m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 22m. Total distance: 275.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Smith Center, KS to Leawood, KS covers 275.5 miles and takes about 5h 22m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 24 is the longest continuous segment at about 100.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 151.9 miles in near KS 177; KS 18.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 275.5 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 151.9 miles (KS 177; KS 18): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 212.3 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 227.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 25 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
151.9 mi into trip|~3h 4m in|KS 177; KS 18
Take the exit onto KS 177; KS 18 toward Junction I-70, Zeandale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Junction I-70, Zeandale
6
212.3 mi into trip|~4h 9m 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
227.1 mi into trip|~4h 24m 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
264 mi into trip|~5h 5m 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
272.5 mi into trip|~5h 15m 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 Smith Center, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Junction I-70, Zeandale, Topeka, Kansas City and Lawrence.
Junction I-70
151.9 mi in|~3h 4m|via KS 177; KS 18
Zeandale
151.9 mi in|~3h 4m|via KS 177; KS 18
Topeka
160.5 mi in|~3h 14m
Kansas City
212.3 mi in|~4h 9m|via I 70
Lawrence
227.1 mi in|~4h 24m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 24
100.2 mi
2h
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
51.4 mi
53m
South Lawrence Trafficway
36.5 mi
40m
KS 181
19.2 mi
22m
Kansas Turnpike
14 mi
14m
US 36
11.8 mi
14m
Madison Road
9.1 mi
10m
KS 177
8.5 mi
10m
Longest stretch:
US 24
— 100.2 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smith Center, KS and Leawood, KS.
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,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.07 one way
$86.14 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$47.29
$94.58
premium
$4.89
$53.02
$106.03
diesel
$5.61
$60.83
$121.65
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
$43
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.6
1
$28.93
$13.22
Efficient EV
68.9
0
$24.11
$11.02
EV Truck/SUV
110.2
1
$38.57
$17.63
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 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 15, 2026
Origin
Smith Center, KS
Late night
in Smith Center on Saturday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Leawood, KS
Late night
in Leawood on Saturday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Manhattan, KS
138 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
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 22m 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 Smith Center, KS to Leawood, KS covers 275.5 miles and takes about 5h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 24, Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, South Lawrence Trafficway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 137.8 miles from Smith Center, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.07 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 25 significant decision points across 275.5 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 151.9 miles (KS 177; KS 18): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 212.3 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 227.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Smith Center, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Junction I-70, Zeandale, Topeka, Kansas City and Lawrence.
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.
