Council Bluffs to Algona is 197 miles and takes about 4 hours and 27 minutes via US 169, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This Midwest journey stays within Iowa, offering a straightforward drive. Expect a mixed experience on the road, not a constant interstate pace. It's a manageable trip that can easily be completed in a single day, making it a practical option for getting from point A to point B within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
98.7 miles from Council Bluffs, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
49.3 mi
56m
US 169
40.5 mi
57m
County Road F50
17.4 mi
24m
Fox Avenue
17.2 mi
23m
State Highway 39
17.1 mi
23m
South 6th Street
17 mi
24m
I 29
14.9 mi
16m
Lincoln Highway
7.5 mi
10m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 49.3 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and Algona, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
0.4 mi·49 sec·West Broadway
2
Turn right onto North 16th Street
1.4 mi·2 min·North 16th Street
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
4
Merge onto I 29
15 mi·16 min·I 29
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward Loveland
6
Turn left onto CR G12
0.3 mi·51 sec·Desoto Avenue
7
At end of road, turn left onto CR L20
0.6 mi·46 sec·Old Lincoln Highway
8
Continue on CR L20
3.1 mi·4 min·Loess Hills Trail
9
Continue on South 6th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·South 6th Street
10
Turn right onto US 30
0.3 mi·1 min·East Erie Street
11
Continue on US 30
7.5 mi·10 min·Lincoln Highway
12
Continue on US 30
0.3 mi·43 sec·South Maple Avenue
13
Turn right onto US 30
0.4 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
14
Continue on US 30
17 mi·24 min·County Road F50
15
Continue on US 30
0.7 mi·1 min·South 3rd Street
16
Continue on US 30
17 mi·23 min·South 6th Street
17
Turn straight onto US 30; US 59; IA 141
0.8 mi·1 min·260th Street
18
Continue on US 59; IA 141
0.3 mi·28 sec·George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
19
Turn right onto IA 39
17 mi·23 min·State Highway 39
20
Continue on IA 39
0.7 mi·1 min·400th Street
21
Continue on IA 39
5.9 mi·8 min·Fox Avenue
22
Continue on IA 39
0.5 mi·1 min·South Des Moines Street
23
Continue on IA 39
11 mi·15 min·Fox Avenue
24
Turn right onto US 20
49 mi·56 min·220th Street
25
Take the exit onto US 20 Business
0.4 mi·1 min·US 20 Business
26
Turn left onto US 20 Business
0.3 mi·37 sec·US 20 Business
27
Continue on US 20 Business
4.4 mi·6 min·230th Street
28
Continue on US 20 Business
0.2 mi·24 sec·Kenyon Road
29
Turn left onto US 169
41 mi·57 min·US 169
30
Turn left onto East McGregor Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·East McGregor Street
31
Turn right onto South Jones Street
0.2 mi·29 sec·South Jones Street
32
Arrive at destination
US 169
Trip Plan
Given the 4 hour 27 minute duration, leaving Council Bluffs in the morning allows ample time to reach Algona before evening. With only one recommended stop and a total of 197 miles, you have flexibility in pacing your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 49.3-mile stretch on 220th Street, as services might be less frequent there. The $31 fuel cost estimate is helpful for budgeting, and since it’s a single-day trip, you can depart with confidence knowing you won't need an overnight stay.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 98.7 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, or about 2h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.3 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 43 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.7 miles or 2h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Algona, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Council Bluffs, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Council Bluffs, IA
This is one driving day of about 197.4 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Council Bluffs, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on 220th Street for about 49.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 21.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|North 16th Street
Turn right onto North 16th Street
Navigation decision point
4
17.1 mi into trip|~20m in
Take the exit toward Loveland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Loveland
4
17.5 mi into trip|~21m in|CR G12 / Desoto Avenue
Turn left onto CR G12 / Desoto Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
17.8 mi into trip|~22m in|CR L20 / Old Lincoln Highway
At end of road, turn left onto CR L20 / Old Lincoln Highway
Navigation decision point
4
21.9 mi into trip|~28m in|US 30 / East Erie Street
Turn right onto US 30 / East Erie Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.86 one way
$61.72 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$33.88
$67.77
premium
$4.89
$37.99
$75.98
diesel
$5.61
$43.58
$87.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.2
0
$20.73
$9.48
Efficient EV
49.4
0
$17.27
$7.90
EV Truck/SUV
79
0
$27.64
$12.63
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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
Council Bluffs, IA
Night
in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Algona, IA
Night
in Algona on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Denison, IA
99 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
7 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
4h 27m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 offers a mixed drive experience, with 37% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches of faster-paced driving interspersed with more local road navigation. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 49.3 miles on 220th Street, which will give you a solid block of driving time without significant changes in scenery or road type. As you progress, the road character shifts between these highway segments and county roads like County Road F50, providing a varied feel behind the wheel.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.3 mi on 220th Street.
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 around 0.4 miles in near North 16th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 17.5 miles (CR G12 / Desoto Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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 Council Bluffs, IA to Algona, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Loveland along the way.
Loveland
17.1 mi in|~20m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 27m. Total distance: 197.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 49.3 miles on 220th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 17.5 miles (CR G12 / Desoto Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Algona, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
