How far is Fort Dodge, KS from Elwood, KS?

The driving distance from Fort Dodge, KS to Elwood, KS is about 345.1 miles (555.4 km), with a travel time of about 06h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 306.5 miles (493.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 18m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
345.12 mi
06h 39m
Flight
306.51 mi
493.28 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fort Dodge.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
306.51 mi
Kilometers
493.28 km
Flight Time
00h 36m

Driving Distance

Road route
345.12 mi
Kilometers
555.42 km
Drive Time
06h 39m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elwood
Sun, Apr 19, 8:21 AM CDT
Return by in Fort Dodge
Sun, Apr 19, 3:00 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Dodge
2026-04-19T01:41
Arrive Elwood
Sun, Apr 19, 8:21 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:39 PM to 2:09 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:42 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Dodge
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Solomon
KS

Human settlement in Dickinson County, Kansas, United States of America

From Fort Dodge
172.4 mi
03h 19m
To Elwood
172.7 mi
03h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
77°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 17 mph SW
Destination
65°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Dodge and Elwood.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Dodge and Elwood.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    104 m · 18 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    1.7 mi · 2 min

  3. 3

    Turn sharp left onto 117 Road

    3.9 mi · 7 min · 117 Road

  4. 4

    Turn right

    29.3 mi · 34 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Niles Avenue

    2707 ft · 46 sec · Niles Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn right

    25.1 mi · 30 min

  7. 7

    Turn right onto East 14th Street

    19.3 mi · 23 min · East 14th Street

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Railroad Avenue

    2.1 mi · 5 min · Railroad Avenue

  9. 9

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Washington Street

    46 m · 4 sec · Washington Street

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Railroad Avenue

    2815 ft · 1 min · Railroad Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Main Street

    2161 ft · 40 sec · Main Street

  12. 12

    Turn right onto 10th Street

    3.8 mi · 6 min · 10th Street

  13. 13

    Turn left

    47.9 mi · 56 min

  14. 14

    Take the ramp right toward I-70 East, Salina

    1227 ft · 30 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    49.4 mi · 49 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    74.7 mi · 1 hr 15 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    6.9 mi · 8 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward US 75 North: Gage Boulevard, Holton

    970 ft · 24 sec

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on US 75 North: Holton

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward US 24 East: Lawrence

    3035 ft · 1 min

  22. 22

    Merge slight left

    6.6 mi · 8 min

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right

    1333 ft · 40 sec

  24. 24

    Turn left onto Northeast Sherman Road

    29.4 mi · 34 min · Northeast Sherman Road

  25. 25

    Continue straight

    20.5 mi · 26 min

  26. 26

    Continue on Southwest 59 Highway

    13.4 mi · 17 min · Southwest 59 Highway

  27. 27

    Continue on Memorial Highway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Memorial Highway

  28. 28

    Turn left onto Alabama Street

    826 ft · 16 sec · Alabama Street

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Stockyards Expressway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Stockyards Expressway

  30. 30

    Continue straight

    1.4 mi · 2 min

  31. 31

    Turn straight

    113 m · 16 sec

  32. 32

    Turn left onto US 36 West: Kansas

    1194 ft · 25 sec

  33. 33

    Merge slight left

    2735 ft · 46 sec

  34. 34

    Take the exit slight right

    1115 ft · 32 sec

  35. 35

    Turn left onto Roseport Road

    824 ft · 19 sec · Roseport Road

  36. 36

    Turn right onto South 3rd Street

    1988 ft · 1 min · South 3rd Street

  37. 37

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North 3rd Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Dodge and Elwood.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
37 steps
18 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
81.6 mi · 24%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
50.5 mi · 15%
Northeast Sherman Road
49.9 mi · 14%
East 14th Street
19.3 mi · 6%
Southwest 59 Highway
13.4 mi · 4%
US 24 East
7.38 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

74.7 mi · 01h 15m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 39m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38.6 mi
306.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Solomon
03h 19m from Fort Dodge
Leave By
10:42 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Fort Dodge and Sunny near Elwood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Dodge to Elwood?

The road trip is about 345.1 miles (555.4 km) and usually takes 06h 39m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Solomon is a useful midpoint, sitting about 172.4 miles from Fort Dodge and 172.7 miles from Elwood.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 306.5 miles (493.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 38.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $45.93 one way or $91.86 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 108.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Fort Dodge and Sunny near Elwood.

Stop Ideas Near Solomon

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Solomon, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Solomon.

RAIL

Newton

97 mi away
414 North Main St.
RAIL

Hutchinson

108 mi away
North Walnut St & East 3rd Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Dodge and Elwood. Straight-line distance: 306.51 mi (493.28 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Fort Dodge

City in and county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States

Population28,075
Coordinates37.7319600, -99.9354100
Altitude751
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Elwood

City in Doniphan County, Kansas, United States

Population1,176
Coordinates39.7555500, -94.8724700
Altitude248
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Dodge (-99.93541, 37.73196)
End: Elwood (-94.87247, 39.75555)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 555 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 54m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 55m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.18 gal
46.1 L · about $45.93
Round trip
$91.86
24.36 gal · 92.2 L
Estimated CO2
108.2 kg one way
Round trip: 216.5 kg / 477 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $45.93 $91.86
Mid-grade $4.25 $51.80 $103.60
Premium $4.65 $56.69 $113.37
Diesel $5.30 $64.60 $129.21

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Kansas · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Dodge and Elwood. The current time is 01:41:45.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.