Davenport to Lenox is 264 miles and takes about 5 hours 14 minutes via I 80 and I 35, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region from east to west. With 93% of the route on highways, expect a fairly direct path. This is a straightforward drive, ideal for a single-day trip if you're looking to cover ground efficiently.
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
132.2 miles from Davenport, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
102 mi
1h 51m
US 6
64.9 mi
1h 11m
I 35
40 mi
43m
US 34
38.3 mi
54m
Adams-Union Avenue
5.5 mi
8m
110th Street
4.2 mi
7m
West Kimberly Road
2.9 mi
4m
Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 102 mi, about 1h 51m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,166 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,588
Quietest
2 AM
~205 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davenport, IA and Lenox, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Marquette Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Marquette Street
3
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
0.5 mi·1 min·West Locust Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 6 Hist
2.5 mi·5 min·Hickory Grove Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
2.9 mi·4 min·West Kimberly Road
6
Take the ramp onto US 6
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·US 6
7
Continue on I 80
102 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
40 mi·43 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward US 34: Osceola, Creston
10
Turn left onto US 34
38 mi·54 min·US 34
11
Turn left onto IA 25
5.5 mi·8 min·Adams-Union Avenue
12
Continue on IA 25; CR J13
1.0 mi·1 min·State Highway 25
13
Turn right onto CR J13
4.2 mi·7 min·110th Street
14
Continue on CR J13
0.6 mi·1 min·East Van Buren Street
15
Turn left onto North Maple Street
0.3 mi·1 min·North Maple Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Maple Street
Trip Plan
This 5-hour drive is easily manageable in one day, so consider leaving Davenport after morning rush hour to maximize daylight. The bulk of your travel will be on interstates, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 102-mile stretch on I 80. With only one recommended stop, you can be flexible with your timing, but planning for a break around the halfway point is wise. The fuel cost is estimated at $41, so budget accordingly.
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 132.2 miles from Davenport, IA, or about 2h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102 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 58 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 132.2 miles or 2h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lenox, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Davenport, 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 Davenport, IA
This is one driving day of about 264.4 miles and 5h 14m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Davenport, 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 102 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 0.7 and 214.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Marquette Street
Turn right onto Marquette Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Turn left onto US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.7 mi into trip|~10m in|US 6 / West Kimberly Road
At end of road, turn left onto US 6 / West Kimberly Road
Navigation decision point
6
174.5 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
214.4 mi into trip|~3h 59m in
Take the exit toward US 34: Osceola, Creston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 34: Osceola, Creston
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.96 one way
$87.92 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$47.88
$95.77
premium
$5.18
$53.95
$107.90
diesel
$5.35
$55.69
$111.38
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.3
0
$27.76
$12.69
Efficient EV
66.1
0
$23.14
$10.58
EV Truck/SUV
105.8
1
$37.02
$16.92
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Davenport, IA
Afternoon
in Davenport on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lenox, IA
Afternoon
in Lenox on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 2 mph17% chanceLive forecast
67°F
Mitchellville, IA
132 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
4 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
5h 14m 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?
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 93% of the 264.4 miles being on major roads like I 80 and I 35. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 102 miles on I 80. You'll transition to US 6 for a portion of the drive, which will feel more like rural cruising with fewer exits compared to the interstate segments.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 6. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Marquette 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 5h 14m 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: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,303 ft587 ft
Total Climb
800 ft
Total Descent
94 ft
Highest Point
1,303 ft
~245.5 mi in
Elevation Range
716 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 Davenport, IA to Lenox, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Creston along the way.
Davenport is one of the Quad Cities, in Eastern Iowa. This Midwestern city on the bank of the Mississippi River has seen a great deal of action throughout history. Today Davenport offers visitors interesting museums, activities and culinary experiences. Being one of the Quad Cities, a side trip to another city is easily doable - just follow the color coded signs!
Top landmarks
•Sacred Heart Cathedral — cathedral church for the Catholic Diocese of Davenport
•Lock and Dam No. 15 — lock and dam on the Mississippi River between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenpor...
The longest stretch is about 102 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 36 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 36 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lenox, IA before the return drive.
