This 103.7-mile drive from Clear Lake to Ankeny is a straightforward day trip, taking about 1 hour and 55 minutes. You'll navigate local roads for the entirety of this journey, with no highway driving involved, making it a more connected experience with the Iowa landscape. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $16, which is quite reasonable for a journey of this length. Since it's a relatively short drive within the same state and region (Midwest to Midwest), it offers a lot of flexibility for when you want to depart and how often you might want to stop along the way.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.8 miles from Clear Lake, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
100 mi
1h 47m
East 1st Street
1.4 mi
3m
4th Avenue South
1.1 mi
1m
I 35 Business
0.3 mi
<1m
North 8th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi
<1m
1st Avenue North
<0.1 mi
<1m
North 6th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 100 mi, about 1h 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clear Lake, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on North 6th Street
79 ft·5 sec·North 6th Street
2
Turn right onto 1st Avenue North
186 ft·10 sec·1st Avenue North
3
Turn right onto I 35 Business
0.3 mi·33 sec·North 8th Street
4
Turn left onto I 35 Business
1.1 mi·1 min·4th Avenue South
5
Take the ramp onto I 35 Business
0.3 mi·43 sec·I 35 Business
Toward I 35 south, US 18 east, IA 27 south: Des Moines
6
Merge onto I 35; US 18; IA 27
100 mi·1 hr 47 min·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
Exit 92Toward 1st Street
8
Keep slight right at fork
301 ft·9 sec
9
Turn straight onto East 1st Street
1.4 mi·3 min·East 1st Street
10
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi·40 sec·Southwest Walnut Street
11
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft·2 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
12
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour and 55 minutes, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. There are no designated stops in the data, so you have the flexibility to make spontaneous breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially since the entire route is on local roads where gas stations might be less frequent than on major highways; the estimated $16 fuel cost should give you a good baseline. A practical tip for this route is to check the timing of traffic lights on Avenue of the Saints, as this can add to your overall travel time on this turn-heavy local drive.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.8 miles from Clear Lake, IA, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 100 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 23 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.8 miles or 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ankeny, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clear Lake, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clear Lake, IA
This is one driving day of about 103.7 miles and 1h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Clear Lake, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 100 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 102 — 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|1st Avenue North
Turn right onto 1st Avenue North
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in|I 35 Business
Take the ramp onto I 35 Business toward I 35 south, US 18 east, IA 27 south: Des Moines
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 south, US 18 east, IA 27 south: Des...
5
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in|I 35; US 18; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge onto I 35; US 18; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
101.8 mi into trip|~1h 50m in
Take the exit toward 1st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 92
Toward 1st Street
5
102 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.21 one way
$32.42 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$17.80
$35.60
premium
$4.89
$19.96
$39.91
diesel
$5.61
$22.90
$45.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.1
0
$10.89
$4.98
Efficient EV
25.9
0
$9.07
$4.15
EV Truck/SUV
41.5
0
$14.52
$6.64
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (67% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Clear Lake, IA
Late night
in Clear Lake on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ankeny, IA
Late night
in Ankeny on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Gilbert, IA
52 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
22 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route from Clear Lake to Ankeny. With 0% highway share, you'll be on surface streets and connecting roads for the entire 103.7 miles. The longest stretch without a significant turn is about 100 miles on Avenue of the Saints, offering a more continuous, albeit not high-speed, experience before transitioning back to more localized segments. This type of drive means you'll be more immersed in the towns and scenery you pass through, rather than separated by high-speed travel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 100 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 1st Avenue North.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 55m drive. You will face about 9 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 (1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 35 Business): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (I 35; US 18; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 103.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 100 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 (1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 35 Business): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (I 35; US 18; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ankeny, IA before heading back.
