Origin
Ames, IA
Night in Ames on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ames, IA to Norwalk, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
45.7 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Norwalk, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ames to Norwalk is 45.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I 35, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest, specifically within Iowa, making it a straightforward journey. You'll primarily be on major highways, so expect a drive focused on efficiency rather than scenery. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing ample time for your destination activities. Plan for a quick and easy transit between these two Iowa locales.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| Southwest 9th Street | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| County Road G14 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| County Road R63 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 25.7 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Norwalk, 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
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn left onto East 6th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
9
Continue on Southeast 6th Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Southeast 6th Street
10
Turn right onto Scott Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Scott Avenue
11
Continue on Southeast 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast 1st Street
12
Continue on Indianola Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Indianola Road
13
Turn left onto Bancroft Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Bancroft Street
14
Turn right onto Southwest 9th Street
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Southwest 9th Street
15
Continue on CR R63
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road R63
16
Turn right onto County Road G14
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road G14
17
Continue on CR G14
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
18
Turn right onto Main Street
82 ft
·
3 sec
·
Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.9 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 33.6 — 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
33.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
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 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Ea...
8
33.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Aven...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.14 one way
$14.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.84 | $15.69 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.79 | $17.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.19 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.40 | $2.92 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Norwalk, IA
Night in Norwalk on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
4 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 3m 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?
This route is largely highway-focused, with 65% of the drive utilizing major roadways like I 35. You'll encounter an uninterrupted stretch of 25.7 miles on I 35, offering a consistent pace. The transition onto Southwest 9th Street and John MacVicar Freeway will introduce you to more local road conditions as you approach your destination. Expect a drive that prioritizes speed and directness, characteristic of interstates, with a brief shift in road type closer to Norwalk.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 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?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Southwest 9th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.7 miles you will encounter 12 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.
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.
On the drive from Ames, IA to Norwalk, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Village along the way.
Village
33.3 mi in
|
~40m
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 1h 3m. Total distance: 45.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). 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.
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 Norwalk, 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: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Norwalk, 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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