Origin
Carlisle, IA
Late night in Carlisle on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carlisle, IA to Ames, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
45 mi
72 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carlisle, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 45-mile drive from Carlisle, IA to Ames, IA takes about 55 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll spend about 63% of your time on highways, primarily utilizing I-35, also known as the Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. With a fuel cost estimated at $7, this short journey is budget-friendly. The route stays within the Midwest region, offering a consistent feel throughout. Given its brevity, you won't need an overnight stop, and you can easily fit this into a busy schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| East 13th Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| IA 5 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North 5th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 13th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 25.7 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carlisle, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on North 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North 5th Street
2
Turn right onto IA 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
IA 5
3
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
4
Merge onto US 65
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
5
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
6
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
this road
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
9
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
this road
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 North: Minneapolis
10
Merge onto I 35
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 35
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
12
Turn left onto East 13th Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 13th Street
13
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
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 22.5 miles from Carlisle, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 42 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IA 5
Turn right onto IA 5
Navigation decision point
5
12.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
7
14.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
6
16.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35 toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
4
42 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.04 one way
$14.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.72 | $15.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.66 | $17.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.94 | $19.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 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 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.94 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.30 | $2.88 |
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
Ames, IA
Late night in Ames on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
55m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this drive, with 63% of your travel on interstate roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 25.7 miles on I-35, providing a good opportunity to settle in. While primarily interstate, the route does transition to surface streets like East 13th Street as you approach your destination. This means you'll experience a mix of faster highway speeds and more typical in-town driving conditions toward the end.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 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?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near IA 5.
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 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.3 miles (IA 5): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Carlisle, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Usda Veterinary Labs along the way.
Usda Veterinary Labs
42 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Founded 1864
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...
- • Ames City Hall — United States historic place
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 55m. Total distance: 45 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). 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.
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 0.3 miles (IA 5): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, 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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