Ames to Wellman is 139.2 miles and takes about 2 hours 47 minutes via I 80, I 35, and State Highway 22, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip is a straightforward journey through the heart of the Midwest, staying entirely within Iowa. You'll mainly be on interstate highways, making for efficient travel between these two points. It's a practical option if you're looking for a relatively short and uncomplicated drive without needing to plan for an overnight stay. Consider this route for its directness and ease of navigation.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
69.6 miles from Ames, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
78.7 mi
1h 24m
I 35
25.9 mi
28m
State Highway 22
12.8 mi
18m
M Avenue
11.7 mi
16m
State Highway 149
5.2 mi
7m
13th Street
2.4 mi
5m
Main Street
0.4 mi
<1m
6th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 78.7 mi, about 1h 24m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,166 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,588
Quietest
2 AM
~205 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Wellman, 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 137AToward I 80 East: Davenport
6
Merge onto I 80
79 mi·1 hr 24 min·I 80
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
Toward Merango, North English
8
Turn right onto CR V66
12 mi·16 min·M Avenue
9
Continue on IA 149
5.2 mi·7 min·State Highway 149
10
Turn left onto IA 22
0.4 mi·34 sec·Main Street
11
Continue on IA 22
13 mi·18 min·State Highway 22
12
Continue on IA 22
0.3 mi·24 sec·6th Street
13
Turn right onto 9th Avenue
0.2 mi·26 sec·9th Avenue
14
Turn left
173 ft·14 sec
15
At end of road, turn right
104 ft·7 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive of under 3 hours, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time. Leaving Ames in the morning will comfortably get you to Wellman with ample daylight remaining. The longest stretch without a major road change is 78.7 miles on I 80, so plan your fuel stops accordingly before entering this segment if needed. With only one recommended stop and a low fuel cost, this trip is easy on the wallet and your schedule.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69.6 miles from Ames, IA, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.7 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 31 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 69.6 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wellman, 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 139.2 miles and 2h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 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 I 80 for about 78.7 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 139.1 — 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
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
108.2 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Take the exit toward Merango, North English
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Merango, North English
6
139.1 mi into trip|~2h 47m in
At end of road, turn right
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.14 one way
$46.29 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg49 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$25.21
$50.42
premium
$5.18
$28.40
$56.81
diesel
$5.35
$29.32
$58.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
41.8
0
$14.62
$6.68
Efficient EV
34.8
0
$12.18
$5.57
EV Truck/SUV
55.7
0
$19.49
$8.91
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 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 Jun 3, 2026
Origin
Ames, IA
Afternoon
in Ames on Wednesday
Local time
3:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
SSE 7 to 14 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Wellman, IA
Afternoon
in Wellman on Wednesday
Local time
3:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
SE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
88°F
Gilman, IA
70 mi in
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
2h 47m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 88% of the route utilizing major interstates. You'll experience long stretches of consistent speed, including a significant segment of 78.7 miles on I 80. The main roads, I 80, I 35, and State Highway 22, are designed for steady progress. Expect a driving experience that prioritizes getting you to your destination efficiently rather than offering varied scenery or winding roads.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 35. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 35.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 47m drive. You will face about 11 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): 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; at 28.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
976 ft700 ft
Total Climb
297 ft
Total Descent
540 ft
Highest Point
976 ft
~79.5 mi in
Elevation Range
276 ft
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 Wellman, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport, Merango and English.
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 78.7 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 18 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): 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; at 28.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wellman, IA before heading back.
