Council Bluffs, IA to Jewell, IA is 184 miles and takes about 3 hours 26 minutes via I 80 and I 35, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically in Iowa, making it a straightforward journey. It's a highway-focused trip, so expect efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable distance for most drivers looking for a direct path between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92 miles from Council Bluffs, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
128.2 mi
2h 18m
I 35
46.3 mi
50m
West Kanesville Boulevard
4.2 mi
7m
330th Street
2.3 mi
3m
Edwards Street
1.3 mi
1m
West Broadway
1 mi
2m
Highway 175
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 128.2 mi, about 2h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and Jewell, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
0.4 mi·1 min·West Broadway
2
Continue on West Broadway
0.6 mi·1 min·West Broadway
3
Continue on West Kanesville Boulevard
4.2 mi·7 min·West Kanesville Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 80
114 mi·2 hr 2 min·I 80
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
14 mi·16 min·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
46 mi·50 min·I 35
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward IA 175: Jewell, Eldora
9
Turn left onto IA 175
0.5 mi·47 sec·330th Street
10
Continue on IA 175
0.1 mi·12 sec·Highway 175
11
Continue on IA 175
0.2 mi·22 sec·Edwards Street
12
Continue on IA 175
1.7 mi·2 min·330th Street
13
Continue on IA 175
1.1 mi·1 min·Edwards Street
14
Arrive at destination
Edwards Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour 26-minute duration, leaving Council Bluffs in the morning allows ample time to reach Jewell well before evening. The recommended one-day trip means you can be flexible with your departure time. Since the longest stretch on I 80 is over 128 miles, plan your fuel stops accordingly before you embark on that segment. While there's only one suggested stop on this route, the relatively short overall distance means you can easily adjust your schedule if needed.
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 92 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 128.2 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 40 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jewell, 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 184 miles and 3h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 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 I 80 for about 128.2 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.2 and 180.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
5.2 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
9
119.2 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
8
133.6 mi into trip|~2h 29m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, De...
5
180 mi into trip|~3h 20m in
Take the exit toward IA 175: Jewell, Eldora
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 175: Jewell, Eldora
4
180.3 mi into trip|~3h 21m in|IA 175 / 330th Street
Turn left onto IA 175 / 330th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.77 one way
$57.53 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg64 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$31.58
$63.17
premium
$4.89
$35.41
$70.82
diesel
$5.61
$40.62
$81.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
55.2
0
$19.32
$8.83
Efficient EV
46
0
$16.10
$7.36
EV Truck/SUV
73.6
0
$25.76
$11.78
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Council Bluffs, IA
Night
in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
11:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Sunny
WNW 10 to 18 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Jewell, IA
Night
in Jewell on Saturday
Local time
11:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Stuart, IA
92 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
15 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
3h 26m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 95% of the journey utilizing major interstates. You'll spend most of your time on I 80, including a significant stretch of 128.2 miles without needing to exit. The initial part of the drive will involve navigating local roads like West Kanesville Boulevard before merging onto the interstate system. Expect a consistent pace for the majority of the trip, as the interstates provide a smooth and direct path towards Jewell.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 128.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 35. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 5.2 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 26m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 119.2 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Council Bluffs, IA and Jewell, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City and Des Moines.
Minneapolis
119.2 mi in|~2h 13m|via I 80
Kansas City
119.2 mi in|~2h 13m|via I 80
Des Moines
133.6 mi in|~2h 29m|via I 35
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 26m. Total distance: 184 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 128.2 miles on I 80. 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 5.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 119.2 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Jewell, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
