Ames to Akron is 207.8 miles and takes about 4h 15m via US 20 and I 35 Business, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on highways, making it a practical choice for a single day. You'll find it a predictable route if you're looking for a simple way to get from point A to point B without many surprises.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
103.9 miles from Ames, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
146.2 mi
2h 54m
I 35 Business
29 mi
31m
State Highway 12
16.2 mi
22m
State Highway 3
4.7 mi
6m
I 29
3 mi
3m
Sioux River Road
2.8 mi
3m
13th Street
2.7 mi
5m
Riverside Boulevard
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 146.2 mi, about 2h 54m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~974 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,494
Quietest
2 AM
~96 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Akron, IA.
1
Start on I 35 Business
2.7 mi·5 min·13th Street
2
Turn left onto I 35 Business
29 mi·31 min·I 35 Business
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi·56 sec
Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
4
Merge onto US 20
146 mi·2 hr 54 min·US 20
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto South Virginia Street
343 ft·16 sec·South Virginia Street
Toward I 29Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward I 29 North
7
Merge onto I 29
3.0 mi·3 min·I 29
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward IA 12 North: Riverside BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto IA 12
2.0 mi·4 min·Riverside Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on IA 12
2.8 mi·3 min·Sioux River Road
11
Continue on IA 12
15 mi·21 min·State Highway 12
12
Continue on IA 12
0.2 mi·17 sec·Portland Street
13
Continue on IA 12
0.3 mi·23 sec·State Highway 12
14
Continue on IA 3; IA 12
4.7 mi·6 min·State Highway 3
15
Continue on IA 12
0.4 mi·59 sec·State Highway 12
16
Turn right onto Reed Street
277 ft·17 sec·Reed Street
17
Turn left onto North 2nd Street
54 ft·2 sec·North 2nd Street
18
Arrive at destination
North 2nd Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a single-day drive of just over 4 hours, leaving Ames in the morning gives you plenty of flexibility. The estimated fuel cost is around $33, so factor that into your budget. With only one recommended stop, you can decide based on your comfort level for breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 146.2-mile stretch on US 20, as services can be spaced out in some rural highway sections.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 103.9 miles from Ames, IA, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 146.2 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 46 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.9 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Akron, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ames, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ames, IA
This is one driving day of about 207.8 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Ames, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 146.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 207.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|I 35 Business
Turn left onto I 35 Business toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Navigation decision point
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
5
31.9 mi into trip|~37m in|US 20
Merge onto US 20
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
178.1 mi into trip|~3h 32m in|South Virginia Street
Turn left onto South Virginia Street toward I 29
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 29
6
181.5 mi into trip|~3h 36m in
Take the exit toward IA 12 North: Riverside Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward IA 12 North: Riverside Boulevard
5
207.8 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|North 2nd Street
Turn left onto North 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.66 one way
$69.33 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$37.67
$75.35
premium
$5.26
$43.02
$86.05
diesel
$6.18
$50.55
$101.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.3
0
$21.82
$9.97
Efficient EV
52
0
$18.18
$8.31
EV Truck/SUV
83.1
1
$29.09
$13.30
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Ames, IA
Morning
in Ames on Sunday
Local time
8:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
SSW 3 to 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Akron, IA
Morning
in Akron on Sunday
Local time
8:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Sunny
SSW 10 to 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 96% of the trip on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 146.2 miles on US 20 before transitioning to other highways. Expect a consistent cruising experience with minimal time on surface streets. The density of exits will likely increase as you approach your destination.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 146.2 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and I 35 Business. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 35 Business.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 15m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (I 35 Business): Navigation decision point; at 31.9 miles (US 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 178.1 miles (South Virginia Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
Top landmarks
•Catt Hall — building on Iowa State University's campus, U.S.
•Food Sciences Building — historic building on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, United S...
The longest stretch is about 146.2 miles on US 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (I 35 Business): Navigation decision point; at 31.9 miles (US 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 178.1 miles (South Virginia Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Akron, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
