Origin
Ames, IA
Night in Ames on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ames, IA to Mitchellville, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
41.8 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Mitchellville, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 41.8-mile drive from Ames to Mitchellville, Iowa, is a straightforward trip designed for a single day. Expect to spend about 51 minutes on the road, making it a perfect short excursion. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 88% of the journey taking place on major interstates. With an estimated fuel cost of just $7, this drive is very budget-friendly. Since there are no recommended stops and the drive is short, you'll have plenty of flexibility in your schedule. This quick trip keeps you within the Midwest region, offering a familiar landscape throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 25.9 mi | 28m |
| I 80 | 10.7 mi | 12m |
| 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| 6th Street Northwest | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Northeast 112th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Center Avenue North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 25.9 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Mitchellville, 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 right at fork onto I 35
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
2 min
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
6
Merge onto I 80
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 80
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 149
Toward Mitchellville
8
Turn right onto CR S27
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Northeast 112th Street
9
Turn left onto CR S27
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
6th Street Northwest
10
Turn right onto CR S27
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Center Avenue North
11
Turn left onto 2nd Street Northeast
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
12
Arrive at destination
2nd Street Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 40.2 — 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.
6
28.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
5
28.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Davenport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
5
40.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward Mitchellville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 149
Toward Mitchellville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.53 one way
$13.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.18 | $14.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.04 | $16.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.23 | $18.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $2.68 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Mitchellville, IA
Night in Mitchellville on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
51m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll find yourself on a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 88% of the miles covered on interstates like I-35 and I-80. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 25.9 miles on I-35, offering a consistent pace. While the main roads are primarily interstates, the route also incorporates 13th Street, suggesting a brief transition to a more local road feel as you approach your destination. Overall, anticipate a driving experience characterized by steady speeds and efficient travel.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.9 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 80. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 41.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ames, IA and Mitchellville, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs and Davenport.
Council Bluffs
28.4 mi in
|
~34m
|
via I 35
Davenport
28.4 mi in
|
~34m
|
via I 35
About the Cities
Starting in Ames, IA
Full guide →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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 41.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.9 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Mitchellville, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mitchellville, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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