Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Grimes, IA
Alexander Krivitskiy
The drive from Ames, IA to Grimes, IA covers 36.5 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, Northwest 118th Avenue, 13th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.1 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 16.1 mi | 17m |
| Northwest 118th Avenue | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Northwest 114th Street | 2 mi | 2m |
| Northwest Saylorville Drive | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Northeast 126th Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Northeast 14th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| North 3rd Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Grimes, IA.
Start on I 35 Business
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn right onto CR F22
Turn left onto US 69
Turn right onto Northeast 118th Avenue
Continue on Northwest 118th Avenue
Continue on East Northside Drive
At end of road, turn left onto North 3rd Street
Turn right onto IA 415
Continue on IA 415
Continue on IA 415
Enter roundabout onto IA 415
Continue on IA 415
Take the ramp
Merge onto IA 141
Continue on IA 141
Take the exit
Turn right onto IA 44
Turn left onto Southeast Main Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Ames, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 35.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Des Moines
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward Elkhart, Polk City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto Northeast 118th Avenue
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto North 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward IA 44: Grimes, Saylorville Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.66 one way
$11.32 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $6.21 | $12.41 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.08 | $14.16 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.05 | $16.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Ames on Tuesday
Local time
8:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Grimes on Tuesday
Local time
8:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
36.5 mi in 52m — 44% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 35.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.5 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.7 miles (Northeast 118th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
287 ft
Total Descent
271 ft
Highest Point
993 ft
~18.3 mi in
Elevation Range
119 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ames, IA and Grimes, IA, road signs point toward Elkhart and Polk City.
Elkhart
Polk City
Founded 1864
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
Founded 1894
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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