Ames to Indianola is 50.8 miles and takes about 1h 10m via I 35, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Iowa, making it a straightforward connection between two points. The route is mostly highway, offering a quick transit between your starting and ending locations. Given its brevity, this drive is ideal for a same-day excursion with minimal planning required.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
25.7 mi
28m
Southridge Boulevard
11.9 mi
18m
Southeast 14th Street
4.8 mi
9m
John MacVicar Freeway
3.4 mi
4m
13th Street
2.4 mi
5m
East 14th Street
0.5 mi
1m
East 2nd Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 25.7 mi, about 28m
Traffic on I-235
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,949 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,598
Quietest
2 AM
~186 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
21.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 64 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 Indianola, IA.
1
Start on I 35 Business
2.4 mi·5 min·13th Street
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
3
Merge onto I 35
26 mi·28 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
5
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
3.4 mi·4 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 9Toward US 69: East 14th Street, East 15th StreetUse the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto US 69
0.5 mi·1 min·East 14th Street
8
Continue on US 69
4.8 mi·9 min·Southeast 14th Street
9
Continue on US 69
12 mi·18 min·Southridge Boulevard
10
Turn left onto IA 92
291 ft·6 sec·East 2nd Avenue
11
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 25.4 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 33.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Des Moines
Navigation decision point
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
5
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
28.4 mi into trip|~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
32.7 mi into trip|~39m in
Take the exit toward US 69: East 14th Street, East 15th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward US 69: East 14th Street, East 15th Stree...
4
33.4 mi into trip|~41m in|US 69 / East 14th Street
Turn left onto US 69 / East 14th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.88 one way
$15.75 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg18 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$8.64
$17.27
premium
$4.93
$9.86
$19.71
diesel
$5.60
$11.20
$22.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15.2
0
$5.33
$2.44
Efficient EV
12.7
0
$4.45
$2.03
EV Truck/SUV
20.3
0
$7.11
$3.25
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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 Sep 5, 2026
Origin
Ames, IA
Late night
in Ames on Saturday
Local time
2:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 0 to 3 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 4 at 7:23PM CDT until September 4 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 4 at 5:39PM CDT until September 5 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Destination
Indianola, IA
Late night
in Indianola on Saturday
Local time
2:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Clear
SSW 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 4 at 7:23PM CDT until September 4 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 4 at 5:39PM CDT until September 5 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
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
2 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
1h 10m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 50.8-mile drive is primarily on I 35, accounting for 57% of the total mileage. You'll experience a longest stretch of 25.7 miles on I 35 before transitioning to surface roads like Southridge Boulevard and Southeast 14th Street. Expect a mixed profile, starting with highway cruising and eventually moving to more local road conditions as you approach Indianola.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.7 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 50.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 2.7 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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...
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 50.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.7 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Indianola, IA before heading back.
