Origin
Dysart, IA
Morning in Dysart on Sunday
Local time
7:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dysart, IA to Waterloo, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
25.9 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dysart, IA
DS stories
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 25.9-mile drive from Dysart, IA to Waterloo, IA takes about 41 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily travel on Hawkeye Road and State Highway 21, with a portion on 58th Street. With a low estimated fuel cost of just $4, this is a budget-friendly journey. The route is entirely within the Midwest region, so expect familiar Midwestern landscapes. It's a quick connection between two Iowa towns, perfect for a short excursion or an easy commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hawkeye Road | 11 mi | 16m |
| State Highway 21 | 8 mi | 11m |
| 58th Street | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West 11th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Hammond Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Holsted Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East San Marnan Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Hawkeye Road
— 11 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dysart, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
65 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto Wilson Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto IA 21
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Holsted Street
4
Turn left onto IA 8; IA 21
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
58th Street
5
Turn right onto IA 21
8.0 mi
·
11 min
·
State Highway 21
6
Continue on IA 21
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Hawkeye Road
7
Turn right onto East San Marnan Drive
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
East San Marnan Drive
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto Hammond Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hammond Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto Hammond Avenue
214 ft
·
8 sec
·
Hammond Avenue
10
Turn right onto East Ridgeway Avenue
501 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Ridgeway Avenue
11
Turn left onto West 11th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West 11th Street
12
Turn left onto South Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Street
13
Enter roundabout onto South Street
60 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Street
14
Continue on South Street
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
South Street
15
Turn right onto West 4th Street
300 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 4th Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Wilson Street
Turn right onto Wilson Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IA 21 / Holsted Street
At end of road, turn left onto IA 21 / Holsted Street
Navigation decision point
6
22.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
East San Marnan Drive
Turn right onto East San Marnan Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
23.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Hammond Avenue
Turn left onto Hammond Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
25.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
South Street
Enter roundabout onto South Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.05 one way
$8.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.45 | $8.89 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.98 | $9.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.72 | $11.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.72 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Waterloo, IA
Morning in Waterloo on Sunday
Local time
7:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
33°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 17 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
37 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
41m 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 drive offers a mixed experience, with 31% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 11 miles on Hawkeye Road, providing a good opportunity to settle in. The roads transition, moving from local routes to state highways, offering a varied driving feel without being overly complex. Expect a practical, efficient journey rather than a winding, scenic adventure.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11 mi on Hawkeye Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Wilson Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 25.9 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Wilson Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IA 21 / Holsted Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.6 miles (East San Marnan Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 25.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11 miles on Hawkeye Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (Wilson Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IA 21 / Holsted Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.6 miles (East San Marnan Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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