Origin
Blue Grass, IA
Night in Blue Grass on Saturday
Local time
9:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blue Grass, IA to Le Claire, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
29.7 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blue Grass, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Le Claire, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion across the Iowa heartland, the 29.7-mile trek from Blue Grass to Le Claire is an efficient choice. You can easily complete this drive in about 38 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Budgeting roughly $5 for fuel should cover your needs for the entire journey. You will navigate through the Midwest by utilizing South Mississippi Street, East Mayne Street, and I-80 East. Since the trip is short, you do not need to worry about booking overnight accommodations, providing you with plenty of flexibility to explore at your own pace.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 61 | 26.4 mi | 31m |
| South Cody Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| East Mayne Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Mississippi Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Garonne Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Jones Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 61
— 26.4 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blue Grass, IA and Le Claire, IA.
1
Start on West Garonne Street
67 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Garonne Street
2
Turn left onto CR Y40
132 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Mississippi Street
3
Turn right onto East Mayne Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mayne Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
5
Merge onto US 61
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 61
6
Turn left onto US 61
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
US 61
7
Take the exit onto US 61
16 mi
·
19 min
·
US 61
Toward I 80 East, US 61 North: Chicago
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
Toward US 67: LeClaire, Bettendorf
9
Turn left onto US 67
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
South Cody Road
10
Turn right onto Jones Street
47 ft
·
2 sec
·
Jones Street
11
Arrive at destination
Jones Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street
Turn left onto CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Mayne Street
Turn right onto East Mayne Street
Navigation decision point
5
11.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 61
Take the exit onto US 61 toward I 80 East, US 61 North: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 61 North: Chicago
5
27.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward US 67: LeClaire, Bettendorf
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 67: LeClaire, Bettendorf
4
29.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Jones Street
Turn right onto Jones Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.72 | $11.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Le Claire, IA
Night in Le Claire on Saturday
Local time
9:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
38m 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 as you transition between communities. While the route incorporates I-80 East, the journey maintains a zero-percent highway share, emphasizing the local roads that define this path. You will spend most of your time navigating local streets rather than cruising on high-speed interstates. It is an active driving experience that requires your full attention on the turns rather than a monotonous highway slog. Because the total distance is under 30 miles, you will find the road conditions shift frequently as you move from Blue Grass toward Le Claire.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.4 mi on US 61.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 61 and South Cody Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (East Mayne Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles (US 61): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Blue Grass, IA to Le Claire, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Bettendorf along the way.
Bettendorf
27.3 mi in
|
~33m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 29.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.4 miles on US 61. 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 (CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (East Mayne Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles (US 61): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Le Claire, 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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