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Trip from Cherokee, IA to Sioux City, 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 16m

Distance

54.4 mi

88 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 11m ★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Iowa, United States

Cherokee, IA

Wikimedia Commons

city ​​in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in Iowa, United States

Sioux City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion across Iowa, the 54.4-mile trek from Cherokee to Sioux City makes for an efficient day trip. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 16 minutes behind the wheel, making it an easy drive to complete in a single sitting. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $8, this route is budget-friendly for travelers moving through the Midwest. Because the entire journey is relatively short, there is no need to split this into an overnight trip. The route relies on a combination of US 75, 530th Street, and County Road C38 to get you to your destination. It is a straightforward, practical path that serves as a reliable connection between these two Iowa communities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 75 15 mi 18m
530th Street 14.5 mi 19m
County Road C38 8.8 mi 12m
210th Street 6 mi 8m
US 75 Business 4 mi 5m
C38 3.1 mi 4m
West Main Street 1.2 mi 2m
11th Street 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US 75 — 15 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cherokee, IA and Sioux City, IA.

1

Start on this road

104 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto US 59

156 ft · 12 sec · South 2nd Street
3

Turn left onto West Main Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · West Main Street
4

Continue on CR C38

15 mi · 19 min · 530th Street
5

Continue on CR C38

3.0 mi · 4 min · County Road C38
6

Continue on CR C38

1.0 mi · 1 min · 210th Street
7

Continue on CR C38

3.1 mi · 4 min · CR C38
8

Continue on CR C38

5.0 mi · 6 min · 210th Street
9

Continue on CR C38

5.8 mi · 8 min · County Road C38
10

Turn left onto US 75

15 mi · 18 min · US 75
11

Take the exit onto US 75 Business

4.0 mi · 5 min · US 75 Business
Toward CR D12, US 75 Business: Floyd Boulevard, 46th Street Use the straight lane.
12

Turn right onto 18th Street

239 ft · 7 sec · 18th Street
13

Turn left onto Terminal Drive

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Terminal Drive
14

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 29 sec · this road
15

Turn right onto 11th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · 11th Street
16

Turn left onto Court Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Court Street
17

Turn right onto 9th Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · 9th Street
18

Turn right

115 ft · 8 sec
19

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Le Mars, IA

27 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.

Popular next leg

Le Mars, IA to Sioux City, IA

25.9 mi · 37m

Pacing Suggestions

Remsen, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Le Mars, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Cherokee, 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 0 and 54.4 — 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 | US 59 / South 2nd Street

Turn left onto US 59 / South 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Main Street

Turn left onto West Main Street

Navigation decision point

7
48.7 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in | US 75 Business

Take the exit onto US 75 Business toward CR D12, US 75 Business: Floyd Boulevard, 46th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward CR D12, US 75 Business: Floyd Boulevard,...
5
54.2 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in | 9th Street

Turn right onto 9th Street

Navigation decision point

5
54.4 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.50 one way

$17.01 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.34 $18.68
premium $4.89 $10.47 $20.94
diesel $5.61 $12.01 $24.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.3 0 $5.71 $2.61
Efficient EV 13.6 0 $4.76 $2.18
EV Truck/SUV 21.8 0 $7.62 $3.48

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Cherokee, IA

Night in Cherokee on Saturday

Local time

11:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy

NNW 5 to 15 mph 41% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 7:27PM CDT until April 13 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 6:53PM CDT until April 13 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Destination

Sioux City, IA

Night in Sioux City on Saturday

Local time

11:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Partly Cloudy

NW 5 to 15 mph 10% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 7:27PM CDT until April 13 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 6:53PM CDT until April 13 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

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

1h 16m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a mixed driving experience as you navigate this route, which transitions between local roads and a highway portion that accounts for 35 percent of the total distance. You will encounter varying road conditions, with the longest uninterrupted stretch occurring for 15 miles on US 75. Because this is a mix of highway and secondary roads, it avoids the monotony of a purely interstate journey while still providing consistent forward progress. The drive feels balanced, shifting from the quieter pace of county roads to the more direct flow of the highway. Staying attentive to these transitions will help you maintain a steady pace throughout the hour-long trip.

35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15 mi on US 75.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 59 / South 2nd Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 16m drive. You will face about 10 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 (US 59 / South 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 48.7 miles (US 75 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

On the drive from Cherokee, IA to Sioux City, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Cr D12 along the way.

Cr D12

48.7 mi in | ~1h 6m | via US 75 Business

About the Cities

Arriving in Sioux City, IA

Full guide →

Sioux City is on the western edge of the state of Iowa. It is on the Missouri River and many parts of Sioux City are among the unique Loess Hills formations.

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 1h 16m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15 miles on US 75. 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 (US 59 / South 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 48.7 miles (US 75 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sioux City, 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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