Denver to St Louis road trip: Best stops, drive time & distance

The best road trip stops on the Denver to St Louis drive are Colby KS, Abilene KS and Kansas City. The distance from Denver to St Louis by car is 851 miles, with a 12h16m driving time.

Planning a Denver to St Louis road trip itinerary

The Denver to St Louis drive takes you from the capital of Colorado to the Mississippi River in Missouri.

Top Denver experiences include Rocky Mountain National Park day tours, downtown Denver food tours and chilling guided ghost walks around the Cheeseman Park cemetery.

St Louis is one of America’s great crossroads cities. The major landmark is the 630ft-tall Gateway Arch, which visitors can go to the top of. Other top attractions include the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden and Busch Stadium.

Good St Louis experiences include highlight-packed trolley tours, true crime walking tours and small group tours that include going to the top of the St Louis Arch and a Mississippi River cruise.

For St Louis accommodation with personality, try the Last Hotel or the Pennywell.

Denver to St Louis distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Denver to St Louis is 851 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 12 hours and 16 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-70.

The best stops to add to a Denver to St Louis road trip itinerary are Colby KS, Abilene KS and Kansas City.

Denver to St Louis road trip attractions: The Prairie Museum

The collection at the Prairie Museum of Art and History in Colby, Kansas, is eclectic but not especially gripping. You can expect dolls, ceramics, furniture and plenty of local history.

Where the museum comes into its own is the outdoor section, where a succession of old buildings have been brought together. The two main highlights are the cute little church and the absolutely enormous barn, which is proudly billed as the biggest barn in Kansas.

Denver to St Louis drive: Dwight D Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum

The small town of Abilene, Kansas, gave America one of its great generals and presidents. Dwight D Eisenhower’s boyhood home is now part of his Presidential Library and Museum.

As with most of these presidential libraries, the museum section doesn’t just cover the former president’s life and work – it acts as a snapshot of the historic period he lived through.

Best stops on the Denver to St Louis drive: Kansas City

Technically two cities spread over two different states, Kansas City has a rich cultural heritage. The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and American Jazz Museum show this off. Other top attractions include the National World I Memorial and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Good experiences in Kansas City include an indulgent food tour of the city’s best BBQ joints, Segway tours, the Sealife Aquarium and wine-tasting trips.