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Trip from Clear Lake, IA to Rockwell, IA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

28m

Distance

20.3 mi

33 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Fair

2 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 26m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m

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

Best Time
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city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States

Clear Lake, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Rockwell, IA, IA

Rockwell, IA

César+Mirna Choto

Trip Overview

Clear Lake, IA to Rockwell, IA is 20.3 miles and takes about 28m via Partridge Avenue/US 18/Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Midwest, specifically in Iowa, making it a simple point-to-point trip. Given its brief duration, it’s perfect for those looking to maximize time at their destination or for travelers who prefer not to spend long hours on the road. Consider this route for its straightforward nature and minimal time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Partridge Avenue 8 mi 10m
US 18 7.8 mi 9m
Avenue of the Saints 1.7 mi 1m
4th Avenue South 1.1 mi 1m
Elm Street West 0.4 mi 1m
I 35 Business 0.3 mi <1m
North 8th Street 0.3 mi <1m
Oak Street North 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Partridge Avenue — 8 mi, about 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clear Lake, IA and Rockwell, 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

1.7 mi · 1 min · Avenue of the Saints
7

Take the exit onto US 18; IA 27

0.4 mi · 26 sec · US 18; IA 27
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
8

Turn slight right onto US 18; IA 27

7.4 mi · 8 min · US 18; IA 27
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward US 65: Downtown Mason City, Rockwell
10

Turn right onto US 65

8.0 mi · 10 min · Partridge Avenue
11

Turn left onto Elm Street West

0.4 mi · 1 min · Elm Street West
12

Turn right onto Oak Street North

0.1 mi · 38 sec · Oak Street North
13

Turn left onto Main Street West

368 ft · 16 sec · Main Street West
14

Arrive at destination

Main Street East

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.2 — 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
3.5 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 18; IA 27

Take the exit onto US 18; IA 27 toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City

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

Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Cha...
5
11.3 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward US 65: Downtown Mason City, Rockwell

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

Toward US 65: Downtown Mason City, Rockwell
5
20.2 mi into trip | ~28m in | Main Street West

Turn left onto Main Street West

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.00 one way

$6.00 round trip

$3.75/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.14 $3.31 $6.62
premium $4.72 $3.77 $7.54
diesel $4.80 $3.83 $7.67

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.1 0 $2.13 $0.97
Efficient EV 5.1 0 $1.78 $0.81
EV Truck/SUV 8.1 0 $2.84 $1.30

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 11, 2026

Origin

Clear Lake, IA

Evening in Clear Lake on Monday

Local time

7:56 PM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Partly Cloudy

ENE 2 mph 10% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 10 at 6:50PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 10 at 5:48PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Destination

Rockwell, IA

Evening in Rockwell on Monday

Local time

7:56 PM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Mostly Cloudy

ENE 2 mph 14% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 10 at 6:50PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 10 at 5:48PM 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

1 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

28m 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?

This route features a mix of highway and surface roads, with about 40% of the drive on highways. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on Partridge Avenue, covering 8 miles before transitioning to other roads. Expect a blend of cruising on the highway and navigating local surface streets as you approach Rockwell.

40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8 mi on Partridge Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

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 1st Avenue North.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 28m drive. You will face about 12 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 3.5 miles (US 18; IA 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,264 ft 1,119 ft

Total Climb

101 ft

Total Descent

217 ft

Highest Point

1,264 ft

~4.4 mi in

Elevation Range

146 ft

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 Clear Lake, IA to Rockwell, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Charles City along the way.

Charles City

3.5 mi in | ~5m | via US 18; IA 27

About the Cities

Starting in Clear Lake, IA

Full guide →

Clear Lake is a city in North Central Iowa.

Top landmarks

  • • Surf Ballroom — American ballroom noted for being the place of the final performances of Buddy H...

Arriving in Rockwell, IA

Full guide →

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 28m. Total distance: 20.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (40%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8 miles on Partridge Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 2 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.

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 3.5 miles (US 18; IA 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rockwell, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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