How far is Joplin, MO from Caruthersville, MO?

The driving distance from Joplin, MO to Caruthersville, MO is about 326.8 miles (526 km), with a travel time of about 06h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 276.2 miles (444.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 30m 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
326.83 mi
06h 45m
Flight
276.23 mi
444.55 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Joplin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
276.23 mi
Kilometers
444.55 km
Flight Time
00h 33m

Driving Distance

Road route
326.83 mi
Kilometers
525.98 km
Drive Time
06h 45m

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 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Caruthersville
Sun, Apr 12, 12:19 PM CDT
Return by in Joplin
Sun, Apr 12, 7:04 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Joplin
2026-04-12T05:34
Arrive Caruthersville
Sun, Apr 12, 12:19 PM CDT
Route Timing
06h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:45 PM to 2:15 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
10:30 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Joplin
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
Mountain View
MO

City in Howell County, Missouri, USA

From Joplin
163.2 mi
03h 22m
To Caruthersville
163.6 mi
03h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
14 to 20 mph S
Destination
82°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Joplin and Caruthersville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joplin and Caruthersville.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    67 m · 18 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right

    59 m · 19 sec

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East 7th Street

    6.8 mi · 14 min · East 7th Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Cimarron Road

    1.4 km · 1 min · Cimarron Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 44 East, I 49 North, US 71 North: Springfield, Kansas City

    1 km · 1 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Congressman Gene Taylor Highway

    53.2 mi · 57 min · Congressman Gene Taylor Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward MO 360 East

    1463 ft · 31 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on James River Freeway

    14.4 mi · 17 min · James River Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    81.3 mi · 1 hr 35 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on US 60 East: Mountain View, Poplar Bluff

    90.4 mi · 1 hr 47 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight right

    4.8 mi · 6 min

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto North Westwood Boulevard

    1.6 mi · 3 min · North Westwood Boulevard

  13. 13

    Continue on State Street

    1396 ft · 26 sec · State Street

  14. 14

    Continue on North Westwood Boulevard

    2.3 mi · 4 min · North Westwood Boulevard

  15. 15

    Turn slight left

    41 m · 7 sec

  16. 16

    Turn slight left

    34.6 mi · 51 min

  17. 17

    At the end of the road, turn right

    11.6 mi · 18 min

  18. 18

    Turn left onto 1st Street

    20.3 mi · 23 min · 1st Street

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward MO U: Caruthersville

    1133 ft · 29 sec

  20. 20

    Turn left onto State Hwy U

    41 m · 3 sec · State Hwy U

  21. 21

    Continue straight

    1.4 mi · 3 min

  22. 22

    Continue straight

    1338 ft · 32 sec

  23. 23

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Ward Avenue

    1.3 mi · 3 min · South Ward Avenue

  24. 24

    Turn left onto West 3rd Street

    155 m · 19 sec · West 3rd Street

  25. 25

    Turn left

    14 m · 3 sec

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Joplin and Caruthersville.

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
26 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
James River Freeway
95.8 mi · 29%
US 60 East
95.1 mi · 29%
Congressman Gene Taylor Highway
53.2 mi · 16%
1st Street
20.3 mi · 6%
East 7th Street
6.76 mi · 2%
North Westwood Boulevard
3.95 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

US 60 East

Keep slight left to continue on US 60 East: Mountain View, Poplar Bluff

90.4 mi · 01h 47m

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 45m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+50.6 mi
276.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mountain View
03h 22m from Joplin
Leave By
10:30 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Joplin and Partly Sunny near Caruthersville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Joplin to Caruthersville?

The road trip is about 326.8 miles (526 km) and usually takes 06h 45m 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?

Mountain View is a useful midpoint, sitting about 163.2 miles from Joplin and 163.6 miles from Caruthersville.

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

The direct path is about 276.2 miles (444.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 50.6 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 $43.48 one way or $86.96 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 102.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Joplin and Partly Sunny near Caruthersville.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Joplin and Caruthersville. Straight-line distance: 276.23 mi (444.55 km).

Joplin

#1 Joplin

The most populous city in Jasper County, Missouri.

Population50,956
Coordinates37.0842300, -94.5132800
Altitude306
CountryUnited States
Caruthersville

#2 Caruthersville

City in and county seat of Pemiscot County, Missouri, United States

Population5,289
Coordinates36.1931200, -89.6556400
Altitude84
CountryUnited States
Start: Joplin (-94.51328, 37.08423)
End: Caruthersville (-89.65564, 36.19312)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 526 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 53m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 10m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 40m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.53 gal
43.66 L · about $43.48
Round trip
$86.96
23.06 gal · 87.32 L
Estimated CO2
102.5 kg one way
Round trip: 204.9 kg / 452 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $43.48 $86.96
Mid-grade $4.25 $49.04 $98.07
Premium $4.65 $53.66 $107.32
Diesel $5.30 $61.16 $122.31

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 · Apr 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Joplin and Caruthersville. The current time is 05:34:10.

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.