Origin
Belle Plaine, IA
Late night in Belle Plaine on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belle Plaine, IA to Waterloo, 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 7m
Distance
45.1 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belle Plaine, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Belle Plaine to Waterloo, you are looking at a 45.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 7 minutes. This short trip is perfectly suited as a simple one-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $7 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly way to navigate through the Iowa Midwest. Since the route involves a mix of 13th Street, Hawkeye Road, and State Highway 21, you will experience a variety of local paths rather than a single long interstate haul. It is an efficient, straightforward drive that serves as a practical connection between these two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 13th Street | 20.3 mi | 29m |
| Hawkeye Road | 11 mi | 16m |
| State Highway 21 | 8 mi | 11m |
| 58th Street | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West 11th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Hammond Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East San Marnan Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
13th Street
— 20.3 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belle Plaine, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on IA 21
45 ft
·
6 sec
·
7th Avenue
2
Turn left onto IA 21
20 mi
·
29 min
·
13th Street
3
Turn left onto IA 8; IA 21
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
58th Street
4
Turn right onto IA 21
8.0 mi
·
11 min
·
State Highway 21
5
Continue on IA 21
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Hawkeye Road
6
Turn right onto East San Marnan Drive
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
East San Marnan Drive
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto Hammond Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hammond Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto Hammond Avenue
214 ft
·
8 sec
·
Hammond Avenue
9
Turn right onto East Ridgeway Avenue
501 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Ridgeway Avenue
10
Turn left onto West 11th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West 11th Street
11
Turn left onto South Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Street
12
Enter roundabout onto South Street
60 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Street
13
Continue on South Street
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
South Street
14
Turn right onto West 4th Street
300 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 4th Street
15
Arrive at destination
West 4th 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 22.6 miles from Belle Plaine, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 21 / 13th Street
Turn left onto IA 21 / 13th Street
Navigation decision point
4
20.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
IA 8; IA 21 / 58th Street
Turn left onto IA 8; IA 21 / 58th Street
Navigation decision point
6
41.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
East San Marnan Drive
Turn right onto East San Marnan Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
42.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
Hammond Avenue
Turn left onto Hammond Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
44.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
South Street
Enter roundabout onto South Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.05 one way
$14.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.74 | $15.48 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.68 | $17.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.96 | $19.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 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 | 13.5 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.89 |
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
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
20 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 7m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as only 18% of this route consists of highway travel. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 20.3 miles on 13th Street, which sets the pace for the majority of the trip. Because the road changes frequently across its 45.1-mile span, you will need to stay alert and ready for turns. Navigating via Hawkeye Road and State Highway 21 keeps the experience feeling more like a local transit route than a high-speed highway commute. It is a hands-on drive that requires your full attention as you transition between these different roadway types.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.3 mi on 13th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 21 / 13th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 45.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (IA 21 / 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 20.3 miles (IA 8; IA 21 / 58th Street): Navigation decision point; at 41.8 miles (East San Marnan Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 45.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (18%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.3 miles on 13th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (IA 21 / 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 20.3 miles (IA 8; IA 21 / 58th Street): Navigation decision point; at 41.8 miles (East San Marnan Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, 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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