Skip to main content

Trip from Emmetsburg, IA to Mallard, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

19m

Distance

12.6 mi

20 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 18m ★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 18m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Emmetsburg, IA, IA

Emmetsburg, IA

Christiyana Krüger

Downtown Mallard, IA, IA

Mallard, IA

Veronika Andrews

Trip Overview

Emmetsburg to Mallard is 12.6 miles and takes about 19 minutes via 460th Avenue/Broadway Street/Main Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop keeps you within the heart of Iowa's Midwest region, offering a straightforward local drive. It's a quick trip, perfect for a brief excursion or connecting two nearby points without much fuss. You'll be traversing familiar county roads, so expect a relaxed pace and easy navigation for this brief journey.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
460th Avenue 11 mi 15m
Broadway Street 1 mi 2m
Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
Inman Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
South East Street <0.1 mi <1m
Lawler Street <0.1 mi <1m
8th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: 460th Avenue — 11 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Emmetsburg, IA and Mallard, IA.

1

Start on 8th Street

87 ft · 8 sec · 8th Street
2

Turn right onto Lawler Street

332 ft · 14 sec · Lawler Street
3

Turn left onto US 18; IA 4

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Main Street
4

Turn right onto IA 4

1.0 mi · 2 min · Broadway Street
5

Continue on IA 4

11 mi · 15 min · 460th Avenue
6

Turn right onto Inman Avenue

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Inman Avenue
7

Turn left onto South East Street

515 ft · 22 sec · South East Street
8

Arrive at destination

South East Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Lawler Street

Turn right onto Lawler Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 18; IA 4 / Main Street

Turn left onto US 18; IA 4 / Main Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | IA 4 / Broadway Street

Turn right onto IA 4 / Broadway Street

Navigation decision point

4
12.3 mi into trip | ~18m in | Inman Avenue

Turn right onto Inman Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
12.5 mi into trip | ~19m in | South East Street

Turn left onto South East Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.97 one way

$3.94 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.16 $4.33
premium $4.89 $2.42 $4.85
diesel $5.61 $2.78 $5.56

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.8 0 $1.32 $0.60
Efficient EV 3.2 0 $1.10 $0.50
EV Truck/SUV 5 0 $1.76 $0.81

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Emmetsburg, IA

Night in Emmetsburg on Saturday

Local time

11:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Mallard, IA

Night in Mallard on Saturday

Local time

11:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

19m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a turn-heavy local drive, with no highway miles at all, meaning you'll be navigating smaller roads for the entire 12.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 11 miles along 460th Avenue. As you progress, the route transitions from 460th Avenue onto Broadway Street and then Main Street, indicating a shift from more open county road to potentially more developed town streets as you approach Mallard. Be prepared for frequent, though likely minor, turns and a consistent local road experience.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11 mi on 460th Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Lawler Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 19m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Lawler Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 18; IA 4 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IA 4 / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 12.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

19m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11 miles on 460th Avenue. 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 (Lawler Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 18; IA 4 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IA 4 / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mallard, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Emmetsburg, IA or browse trips ending in Mallard, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.