How far is Jefferson City, MO from De Soto, MO?

The driving distance from Jefferson City, MO to De Soto, MO is about 121.5 miles (195.6 km), with a travel time of about 02h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 92.7 miles (149.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 47m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
121.52 mi
02h 53m
Flight
92.74 mi
149.25 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Jefferson City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
92.74 mi
Kilometers
149.25 km
Flight Time
00h 11m

Driving Distance

Road route
121.52 mi
Kilometers
195.57 km
Drive Time
02h 53m

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 02h 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in De Soto
Sun, May 31, 10:18 AM CDT
Return by in Jefferson City
Sun, May 31, 1:12 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Jefferson City
2026-05-31T07:24
Arrive De Soto
Sun, May 31, 10:18 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:54 AM to 12:54 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
12:42 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Jefferson City
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Leslie
MO

Village in Missouri, USA

From Jefferson City
60.7 mi
01h 26m
To De Soto
60.8 mi
01h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Sunday

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 mph SE
Destination
83°F
Sunday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Jefferson City and De Soto.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jefferson City and De Soto.

  1. 1

    Start on East Wall Way

    47 m · 13 sec · East Wall Way

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Jefferson Street

    1130 ft · 40 sec · Jefferson Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Rex M Whitton Expressway

    11.3 mi · 14 min · Rex M Whitton Expressway

  4. 4

    Keep slight left to continue on US 50 East: Saint Louis

    5.9 mi · 7 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Wolf Ridge Trail

    1995 ft · 2 min · Wolf Ridge Trail

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Loose Creek Highway

    1 mi · 2 min · Loose Creek Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on County Route 604

    1 km · 3 min · County Route 604

  8. 8

    Turn left onto County Route 605

    1.5 mi · 6 min · County Route 605

  9. 9

    Turn left

    1817 ft · 36 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on West Main Street

    56.6 mi · 1 hr 6 min · West Main Street

  11. 11

    Take the exit right

    42 m · 5 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right

    6.2 mi · 9 min

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Commercial Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · Commercial Avenue

  14. 14

    Continue on East Gravois Avenue

    16 mi · 23 min · East Gravois Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Ridge Road

    4 mi · 10 min · Ridge Road

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn right

    9.5 mi · 19 min

  17. 17

    Continue straight

    3.9 mi · 5 min

  18. 18

    Turn left

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  19. 19

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · North Main Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Easton Street

    133 m · 19 sec · Easton Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Easton Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Jefferson City and De Soto.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
21 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Main Street
56.7 mi · 47%
East Gravois Avenue
16 mi · 13%
Rex M Whitton Expressway
11.3 mi · 9%
Ridge Road
7.84 mi · 6%
US 50 East
5.89 mi · 5%
County Route 605
1.49 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

West Main Street

Continue on West Main Street

56.6 mi · 01h 06m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 53m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+28.8 mi
92.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Leslie
01h 26m from Jefferson City
Leave By
12:42 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Jefferson City and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near De Soto.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Jefferson City to De Soto?

The road trip is about 121.5 miles (195.6 km) and usually takes 02h 53m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Leslie is a useful midpoint, sitting about 60.7 miles from Jefferson City and 60.8 miles from De Soto.

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

The direct path is about 92.7 miles (149.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 28.8 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 12:42 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $16.18 one way or $32.36 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 38.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Jefferson City and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near De Soto.

Stop Ideas Near Leslie

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Leslie, 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 Leslie.

RAIL

Washington

25 mi away
301 West Front St.
RAIL

Hermann

37 mi away
Wharf & Gutenberg Sts.
RAIL

Kirkwood

74 mi away
110 West Argonne Dr.
RAIL

Jefferson City

84 mi away
101 Jefferson Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Jefferson City and De Soto. Straight-line distance: 92.74 mi (149.25 km).

Jefferson City

#1 Jefferson City

The capital of Missouri.

Population42,708
Coordinates38.5767000, -92.1735200
Altitude192
CountryUnited States
De Soto

#2 De Soto

City in Jefferson County, Missouri

Population6,340
Coordinates38.1395000, -90.5551300
Altitude160
CountryUnited States
Start: Jefferson City (-92.17352, 38.5767)
End: De Soto (-90.55513, 38.1395)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 196 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 02m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 02m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 01m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 44m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 30m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.29 gal
16.23 L · about $16.18
Round trip
$32.36
8.58 gal · 32.46 L
Estimated CO2
38.1 kg one way
Round trip: 76.3 kg / 168 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $16.18 $32.36
Mid-grade $4.25 $18.25 $36.49
Premium $4.65 $19.97 $39.93
Diesel $5.30 $22.75 $45.51

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 Missouri · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Jefferson City and De Soto. The current time is 07:24:50.

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.