Origin
Carter Lake, IA
Late night in Carter Lake on Sunday
Local time
2:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carter Lake, IA to Carson, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
32.6 mi
52 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 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carter Lake, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Carson, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
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 47
Toward 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
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 105 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
$5.10 one way
$10.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.60 | $11.19 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.27 | $12.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
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, 2026-04-13.
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.
Destination
Carson, IA
Late night in Carson on Sunday
Local time
2:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
23 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
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?
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 Effort
6/10
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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
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.
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.
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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