Origin
Gilbert, IA
Late night in Gilbert on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
47 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 47-mile drive from Gilbert, IA to West Des Moines, IA will take you about an hour. It's a perfect one-day trip, easily manageable without needing an overnight stop. You'll primarily be on I-35 and John MacVicar Freeway, with US 69 also playing a role. Given the short distance and 81% highway focus, it's an efficient journey. Expect a fuel cost of around $7 for this short hop across the Midwest. This route is all about getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| US 69 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| West Riverside Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Dayton Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| 63rd Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 170th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Mathews Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 25.7 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on CR E23
94 ft
·
2 sec
·
170th Street
2
Continue on CR E23
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mathews Drive
3
Enter roundabout onto CR E23
102 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mathews Drive
4
Continue on CR E23
526 ft
·
14 sec
·
Mathews Drive
5
Continue on CR E23
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
170th Street
6
Turn right onto US 69
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
US 69
7
Turn left onto West Riverside Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Riverside Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto North Dayton Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Dayton Avenue
9
Turn left onto I 35 Business
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
East 13th Street
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
11
Merge onto I 35
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
13
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
9.4 mi
·
12 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto IA 28
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
63rd Street
16
Turn right onto Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Vine Street
17
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Gilbert, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 45.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR E23 / Mathews Drive
Enter roundabout onto CR E23 / Mathews Drive
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
6.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
North Dayton Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto North Dayton Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
9.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
35 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
45.2 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
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 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.35 one way
$14.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.07 | $16.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.04 | $18.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.38 | $20.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.58 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 10 to 14 mph
6% chance
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
12 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
1h 1m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this 47-mile journey, with 81% of it being on major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 25.7 miles on I-35, offering a consistent pace. While the profile is largely highway, the integration of US 69 might introduce slight variations in traffic patterns and speed. Overall, it's designed for forward momentum, allowing you to cover the distance efficiently.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.7 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and John MacVicar Freeway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CR E23 / Mathews Drive.
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 47 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 0.5 miles (CR E23 / Mathews Drive): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.5 miles (North Dayton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,025 ft
825 ft
Total Climb
303 ft
Total Descent
468 ft
Highest Point
1,025 ft
~6.7 mi in
Elevation Range
200 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 47 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.7 miles on I 35. 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: at 0.5 miles (CR E23 / Mathews Drive): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.5 miles (North Dayton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Des Moines, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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