If you are planning a trip from Fort Madison to Urbandale, you are looking at a 185.2-mile trek through the heart of the Midwest. Expect to spend about 3 hours and 1 minute behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day journey. With a fuel budget of roughly $28, the trip is quite economical for those looking to traverse Iowa. Navigating via local roads like Avenue I, Avenue H, and 20th Street means you will experience a more grounded, community-focused route rather than a high-speed interstate haul. Since the entire drive stays within the state of Iowa, you will find a consistent regional atmosphere throughout the travel. It is a straightforward path that works well for those who prefer to keep their travel simple and efficient.
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
92.6 miles from Fort Madison, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 63
69.4 mi
1h 20m
US 34
61.1 mi
1h 10m
Avenue of the Saints
24.5 mi
28m
IA 2
8.3 mi
11m
I 80
8.1 mi
9m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
3.8 mi
4m
Avenue O
2.1 mi
3m
Avenue L
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 63
— 69.4 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Madison, IA and Urbandale, IA.
1
Start on this road
61 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Avenue I
139 ft·11 sec·Avenue I
3
Turn left onto US 61 Business
1.0 mi·1 min·Avenue H
4
Turn left onto US 61 Business
0.2 mi·21 sec·20th Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto US 61 Business
1.3 mi·2 min·Avenue L
6
Continue on US 61 Business
0.3 mi·27 sec·Old Highway 61
7
Continue on US 61 Business
2.1 mi·3 min·Avenue O
8
Turn straight onto IA 2
8.3 mi·11 min·IA 2
9
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
10
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
25 mi·28 min·Avenue of the Saints
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 34; IA 163
61 mi·1 hr 10 min·US 34; IA 163
Exit 45
12
Continue on US 63; IA 163
69 mi·1 hr 20 min·US 63; IA 163
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
14
Merge onto US 65
3.8 mi·4 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
15
Take the exit
1.2 mi·1 min
Exit 84Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
16
Merge onto I 80
8.1 mi·9 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Exit 131Toward IA 28 South: Merle Hay Road, Saylorville LakeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto IA 28
0.6 mi·1 min·Merle Hay Road
19
Turn right onto Meredith Drive
0.8 mi·1 min·Meredith Drive
20
Turn left onto 70th Street
1.2 mi·2 min·70th Street
21
Turn left onto Maryland Drive
13 ft·0 sec·Maryland Drive
22
Arrive at destination
Maryland Drive
Trip Plan
Because this route is a turn-heavy local drive, you should prioritize leaving early in the day to ensure you can navigate the local roads with full visibility. Budgeting for at least one stop is a smart move to break up the 3-hour and 1-minute duration, keeping you alert behind the wheel. Since you are not relying on highways, stay mindful of local speed limits and potential traffic signals that can add time to your expected arrival. Given the $28 fuel estimate, it is helpful to fill up before you leave Fort Madison to avoid searching for stations while navigating the local streets of Urbandale. Use the inherent flexibility of this shorter trip to your advantage by adjusting your departure time to avoid local rush hour traffic.
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 92.6 miles from Fort Madison, IA, or about 1h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 69.4 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 41 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92.6 miles or 1h 51m 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Urbandale, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Madison, 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 Fort Madison, IA
This is one driving day of about 185.2 miles and 3h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Fort Madison, 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 63 for about 69.4 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 and 182.3 — 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|Avenue I
Turn right onto Avenue I
Navigation decision point
5
38.2 mi into trip|~48m in|US 34; IA 163
Keep slight right at fork onto US 34; IA 163
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 45
5
173 mi into trip|~3h 24m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
5
174.2 mi into trip|~3h 26m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
182.3 mi into trip|~3h 35m in
Take the exit toward IA 28 South: Merle Hay Road, Saylorville Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 131
Toward IA 28 South: Merle Hay Road, Saylorville...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.95 one way
$57.91 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg65 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$31.79
$63.58
premium
$4.89
$35.64
$71.28
diesel
$5.61
$40.89
$81.78
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: 64.8 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
55.6
0
$19.45
$8.89
Efficient EV
46.3
0
$16.21
$7.41
EV Truck/SUV
74.1
0
$25.93
$11.85
Gas CO2
65 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 16, 2026
Origin
Fort Madison, IA
Night
in Fort Madison on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
W 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 12:02PM CDT until April 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:30AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Urbandale, IA
Night
in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live 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
28 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
3h 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare yourself for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention. Unlike cross-country interstate routes, this journey consists of 0% highway driving, meaning you will be navigating local streets for the duration of the 185.2-mile distance. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on Avenue I, you should anticipate frequent adjustments and a steady pace rather than long periods of cruise control. This road profile offers a unique, hands-on driving experience that forces you to engage with the local infrastructure continuously. You will spend your time navigating through the nuances of local transit, which provides a distinct change of pace compared to standard highway travel.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 69.4 mi on US 63.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 63 and US 34. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Avenue I.
Driving Effort5/10
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 185.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 (Avenue I): Navigation decision point; at 38.2 miles (US 34; IA 163): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 173 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 41m. Total distance: 185.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 69.4 miles on US 63. 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: near the start (Avenue I): Navigation decision point; at 38.2 miles (US 34; IA 163): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 173 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Urbandale, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
