Sun City, KS to Hazelton, KS is 42.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 34 minutes via River Road and Tri-City Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward local experience. Expect a route that involves frequent turns, so paying attention to navigation will be key. Given its short distance and duration, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
21.5 miles from Sun City, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 34m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized by its frequent turns, making it a more engaging local route than a highway cruise. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating primarily on local roads like River Road and Tri-City Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 19.1 miles on River Road, so there are moments of consistent travel, but overall, expect a dynamic driving experience. The profile suggests a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making regular adjustments rather than settling into a long, straight path.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
River Road is the longest continuous segment at about 19.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near River Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 34m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (River Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.7 miles (River Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 21 miles (US 160 / West Fowler Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|River Road
Keep slight right at fork onto River Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
13.7 mi into trip|~33m in|River Road
Keep slight left at fork onto River Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
21 mi into trip|~50m in|US 160 / West Fowler Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto US 160 / West Fowler Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
30.9 mi into trip|~1h 4m in|North Main Street
Turn right onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
42.7 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
River Road
19.1 mi
46m
Tri-City Road
10 mi
24m
West Fowler Avenue
9.9 mi
14m
North Main Street
0.9 mi
2m
North Iliff Street
0.8 mi
1m
Pleasant Hill Road
0.7 mi
1m
Main Street
0.6 mi
1m
West Stolp Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
River Road
— 19.1 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun City, KS and Hazelton, KS.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.2 mi·31 sec·East Main Street
2
Continue on River Road
0.4 mi·1 min·River Road
3
Keep slight right at fork onto River Road
5.0 mi·11 min·River Road
4
Continue on Main Street
0.4 mi·54 sec·Main Street
5
Continue on River Road
7.5 mi·18 min·River Road
6
Continue on Mingona Road
0.2 mi·24 sec·Mingona Road
7
Keep slight left at fork onto River Road
6.2 mi·14 min·River Road
8
Continue on West Stolp Avenue
0.3 mi·48 sec·West Stolp Avenue
9
Turn right onto US 281
0.8 mi·1 min·North Iliff Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 160
9.9 mi·14 min·West Fowler Avenue
11
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.9 mi·2 min·North Main Street
12
Continue on Pleasant Hill Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Pleasant Hill Road
13
Turn right onto Tri-City Road
10 mi·24 min·Tri-City Road
14
Continue on 1st Avenue
0.3 mi·41 sec·1st Avenue
15
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short 42.9-mile distance and 1 hour 34 minute estimated drive time, you have ample flexibility for when to depart. Leaving in the morning allows you to arrive in Hazelton with plenty of the day remaining. Since the longest stretch is just over 19 miles, you won't need to worry about long periods without services, but it's always wise to ensure you have at least a quarter tank of fuel before heading out. Keep an eye on your navigation, as the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile indicates frequent directional changes are part of the journey.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 21.5 miles from Sun City, KS, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 19.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 42.9 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 21.5 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hazelton, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sun City, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sun City, KS
This is one driving day of about 42.9 miles and 1h 34m.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on River Road for about 19.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Sun City, KS
· 50m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.71 one way
$13.41 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$7.36
$14.73
premium
$4.89
$8.26
$16.51
diesel
$5.61
$9.47
$18.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$32–$57
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.9
0
$4.50
$2.06
Efficient EV
10.7
0
$3.75
$1.72
EV Truck/SUV
17.2
0
$6.01
$2.75
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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 15, 2026
Origin
Sun City, KS
Morning
in Sun City on Saturday
Local time
9:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hazelton, KS
Morning
in Hazelton on Saturday
Local time
9:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
7 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
1h 34m 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 Sun City, KS to Hazelton, KS covers 42.9 miles and takes about 1h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are River Road, Tri-City Road, West Fowler Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 miles from Sun City, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.71 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.
This is a straightforward 1h 34m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (River Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.7 miles (River Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 21 miles (US 160 / West Fowler Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Sun City, KS to Hazelton, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
