Carter Lake, IA to Carson, IA is 32.6 miles and takes about 51 minutes via State Highway 92 and US 6, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a quick trip entirely within the Midwest region of Iowa. You'll be sticking to state and US highways for the vast majority of the drive, making it a straightforward journey. Given the short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a spontaneous outing or as a short connection between destinations. Plan for a simple, no-fuss drive that gets you where you need to go efficiently.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 92
20.5 mi
29m
US 6
6.1 mi
7m
West Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
North 11th Street
1.1 mi
2m
Gerald R Ford Expressway
0.9 mi
1m
East Locust Street
0.6 mi
1m
North 14th Street
0.4 mi
1m
North 9th Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 92
— 20.5 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carter Lake, IA and Carson, IA.
1
Start on North 9th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·North 9th Street
2
Turn right onto East Locust Street
0.6 mi·1 min·East Locust Street
3
Turn left onto North 11th Street
1.1 mi·2 min·North 11th Street
4
Continue on Izard Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·Izard Street
5
At end of road, turn left onto North 14th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·North 14th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
Toward I 480 East
7
Merge onto I 480
0.9 mi·1 min·Gerald R Ford Expressway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.3 mi·36 sec·US 6
Toward I 29 South: Kansas City
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
5.8 mi·7 min·US 6
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Exit 47Toward US 275, IA 92: Lake Manawa State Park
11
Turn right onto IA 92
389 ft·6 sec·East Veterans Memorial Highway
12
Continue on IA 92
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 92
13
Continue on IA 92
1.2 mi·2 min·West Main Street
14
Continue on IA 92
9.7 mi·14 min·State Highway 92
15
Continue on IA 92
0.2 mi·25 sec·Highway Street
16
Turn left onto South Mildred Street
0.3 mi·1 min·South Mildred Street
17
Arrive at destination
North Mildred Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 16.3 miles from Carter Lake, 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 32.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.3 mi into trip|~6m in|North 14th Street
At end of road, turn left onto North 14th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
4 mi into trip|~9m in|US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 29 South: Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 29 South: Kansas City
6
4.2 mi into trip|~9m in|US 6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.1 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit toward US 275, IA 92: Lake Manawa State Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 47
Toward US 275, IA 92: Lake Manawa State Park
5
32.3 mi into trip|~50m in|South Mildred Street
Turn left onto South Mildred Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.81 one way
$9.63 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg11 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$5.31
$10.63
premium
$4.72
$6.05
$12.11
diesel
$4.80
$6.16
$12.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
9.8
0
$3.42
$1.56
Efficient EV
8.2
0
$2.85
$1.30
EV Truck/SUV
13
0
$4.56
$2.09
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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 Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Carter Lake, IA
Late night
in Carter Lake on Sunday
Local time
2:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Clear
SE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 7:55PM CDT until July 15 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 7:51PM CDT until July 15 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
Destination
Carson, IA
Late night
in Carson on Sunday
Local time
2:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Clear
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 7:55PM CDT until July 15 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 7:51PM CDT until July 15 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
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
2 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
51m 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 route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the journey on higher-speed roads. You'll spend most of your time on State Highway 92 and US 6, experiencing a steady pace. The longest continuous stretch without needing to navigate a turn or change roads is 20.5 miles, also on State Highway 92. Expect a consistent driving experience for the bulk of the trip, rather than a winding, technical drive through smaller towns. The profile suggests a predictable and efficient journey on well-maintained highways.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.5 mi on State Highway 92.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 92 and US 6. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near North 14th Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 32.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 2.3 miles (North 14th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 32.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.5 miles on State Highway 92. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
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 Carson, 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 2.3 miles (North 14th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carson, IA before heading back.
