What the easiest and/or fastest way to Cape from Rolla? Rolla to park hills, south on 67 to 32 east to 55 south?

I can't really comment on the timeframe each route takes since I've never been in enough of a hurry for it to matter, but I'll mention a few of the routes I've taken in recent memory.

I typically follow the path you had described, but that's only because I stop to visit people on the trip over. I recommend taking the MO-19 exit at Cuba to Steeleville instead of the MO-8 exit at St. James. MO-19 was redone in the past few years and is much smoother, straighter, and wider than MO-8. It's a little further away from Rolla, but you get to go 70 MPH on I-44 until then. Timewise, it really doesn't matter which route you take since I've seen a delivery truck take the MO-8 exit while I took MO-19 and then remerge right ahead of me at Steeleville.

You could go south on MO-72 all the way to Cape. It'll take you down through Salem, wind around in the forest for a while 'till Ironton/Arcadia (a "straighter shot" (term used *very* loosely) would be to take MO-32 & MO-21 for this part), across to Fredericktown, then southeast to Cape. I only suggest this if you really like backroads, scenery, and twisty-turny highway. If you've got a vehicle that's a gas hog or you don't trust it to make the distance, I'd avoid this route.

I've heard *lots* of people say that the fastest route they've taken is up I-44 to the St. Louis beltloop, across to I-55, then down. Personally, I don't see it with all the extra distance you've gotta cover. The advantage is that you've got a 70 MPH speed limit most of the way, you're highly visible to the HiPo if you run into car trouble, and there's rest stops/gas stations. The downsides are that you may get a lead foot that'll get you in trouble with the HiPo, St. Louis traffic, and it's boring-assed scenery.

I would also recommend taking the Cuba exit onto HWY 19, and that will then lead you to 8 which will take you to Park Hills, and from there Cape.


I dont recommend taking 72 all the way unless you enjoy a roller coaster ride the entire way.

Fastest would be 44 to 270 to 55 and down. It's pretty much the easiest way to do it, and so long as traffic isn't bad you should be able to make it pretty quickly.

I took the way through Cuba, mentioned above. It's not a bad drive at all. I drove from Columbia to the Cape area, though, and it took about 3+ hours if I remember correctly. There aren't many slow spots to speak of, aside from a couple small towns here and there, much like 63. That would probably be your best bet.