Des Moines to Milford is 202.8 miles and takes about 4h 9m via US 20 and I-35, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. The route is primarily highway driving, making it a straightforward trip. With only one recommended stop and a reasonable driving time, it's well-suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without feeling rushed.
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
101.4 miles from Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
81.3 mi
1h 33m
I 35
54.3 mi
59m
US 71
45.6 mi
1h 3m
Highway Boulevard
11.8 mi
15m
John MacVicar Freeway
4.8 mi
5m
Grand Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
East University Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
11th Street Southwest
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 81.3 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-235
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,949 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,598
Quietest
2 AM
~186 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
21.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 64 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 Des Moines, IA and Milford, IA.
1
Start on East University Avenue
481 ft·39 sec·East University Avenue
2
Turn uturn onto East University Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·East University Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 69
0.4 mi·57 sec·East 14th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward US 69, East 14th Street, East 15th STreet
5
Merge onto I 235
4.8 mi·5 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 35
54 mi·59 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·56 sec
Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
8
Merge onto US 20
81 mi·1 hr 33 min·US 20
9
Take the exit onto US 71
0.4 mi·57 sec·US 71
Toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm Lake
10
Turn right onto US 71
45 mi·1 hr 2 min·US 71
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto US 71
0.5 mi·1 min·11th Street Southwest
12
Turn left onto 4th Avenue Southwest
0.5 mi·53 sec·4th Avenue Southwest
13
At end of road, turn right onto 4th Street Southwest
0.3 mi·41 sec·4th Street Southwest
14
Turn left onto US 18; US 71
0.4 mi·1 min·South Grand Avenue
15
Turn left onto West 2nd Street
389 ft·9 sec·West 2nd Street
16
Turn right onto 1st Avenue West
0.4 mi·47 sec·1st Avenue West
17
At end of road, turn right onto West 8th Street
384 ft·14 sec·West 8th Street
18
Turn left onto US 18; US 71
0.6 mi·1 min·Grand Avenue
19
Continue on US 18; US 71
12 mi·15 min·Highway Boulevard
20
Arrive at destination
US 71
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour drive, leaving Des Moines in the morning is your best bet, giving you ample time to reach Milford. Since the drive is under five hours and primarily highway, you can be flexible with your stop. Consider making your single recommended stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on fuel, especially with the longest stretch being over 80 miles on US 20; plan your fill-up before you hit that segment if needed. The $32 fuel estimate should cover the 202.8 miles.
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 101.4 miles from Des Moines, IA, or about 1h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 81.3 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 45 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.4 miles or 1h 56m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Milford, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA
This is one driving day of about 202.8 miles and 4h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Des Moines, 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 US 20 for about 81.3 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 142.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East University Avenue
Turn uturn onto East University Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 69, East 14th Street, East 15th STreet
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 69, East 14th Street, East 15th STree...
5
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in|I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
142.5 mi into trip|~2h 43m in|US 71
Take the exit onto US 71 toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm...
5
142.9 mi into trip|~2h 44m in|US 71
Turn right onto US 71
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.83 one way
$67.66 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$36.77
$73.53
premium
$5.26
$41.99
$83.98
diesel
$6.18
$49.33
$98.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.8
0
$21.29
$9.73
Efficient EV
50.7
0
$17.75
$8.11
EV Truck/SUV
81.1
1
$28.39
$12.98
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Des Moines, IA
Morning
in Des Moines on Monday
Local time
8:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Sunny
S 8 to 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Milford, IA
Morning
in Milford on Monday
Local time
8:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
SSW 15 to 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
1 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 9m 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 drive is overwhelmingly highway, with 92% of the 202.8 miles on major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 81.3 miles on US 20 before transitioning to other highways. Expect a consistent cruising experience for most of the trip, with fewer exits and more open road. The shift away from the highway will occur later in the drive, offering a change of pace.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 81.3 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and I 35. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East University Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 9m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,438 ft873 ft
Total Climb
971 ft
Total Descent
405 ft
Highest Point
1,438 ft
~202.8 mi in
Elevation Range
566 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 Des Moines, IA to Milford, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Storm Lake along the way.
Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center (along with opera, ballet, and other performing arts), and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
Top landmarks
•Iowa State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Iowa
•St. Ambrose Cathedral — church in Iowa, United States
•Des Moines Art Center — art museum in Des Moines, Iowa
The longest stretch is about 81.3 miles on US 20. 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 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Milford, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
