Origin
Guthrie Center, IA
Morning in Guthrie Center on Tuesday
Local time
6:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Guthrie Center, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
56.1 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Guthrie Center, IA
Wikimedia Commons
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Guthrie Center, IA to West Des Moines, IA is 56.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 9 minutes via I 80 and State Highway 25, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily traverses the Midwest, staying within Iowa for its entirety. Expect a straightforward journey focused on efficient travel between these two points. It's a short enough trip that you won't need an overnight stay, making it ideal for a quick errand or a connection to a larger trip. Consider this route for its simplicity and directness.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 36 mi | 38m |
| State Highway 25 | 13.4 mi | 20m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| 8th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Pecan Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| South 5th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Vine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| State Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 36 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Guthrie Center, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on IA 44
249 ft
·
6 sec
·
State Street
2
Turn right onto IA 25
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
South 5th Street
3
Continue on IA 25
11 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 25
4
Continue on IA 25
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 25
5
Turn right onto IA 25
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Pecan Avenue
6
Continue on IA 25
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 25
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
8
Merge onto I 80; US 6
36 mi
·
38 min
·
I 80; US 6
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 235
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Exit 123A
Toward I 235 East: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 3
Toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto Vine Street
468 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vine Street
13
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Guthrie Center, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 55 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 25 / South 5th Street
Turn right onto IA 25 / South 5th Street
Navigation decision point
3
13.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
IA 25 / Pecan Avenue
Turn right onto IA 25 / Pecan Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
51.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway toward I 235 East: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123A
Toward I 235 East: Des Moines
8
54.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 3
Toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
5
55 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
8th Street
Turn right onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.77 one way
$17.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.63 | $19.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.80 | $21.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.39 | $24.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.85 | $3.59 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Morning in West Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
6:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 9m 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 route is heavily highway-focused, with 94% of the drive on major roads like I 80 and John MacVicar Freeway. You'll experience a significant stretch of 36 miles on I 80, offering a consistent pace. While much of the journey involves interstate driving, you'll also navigate segments on State Highway 25. The character of the drive is primarily about covering ground efficiently, with minimal deviations from high-speed roadways. It’s a practical path designed for speed and directness.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 25. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 25 / South 5th 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 56.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 (IA 25 / South 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.2 miles (IA 25 / Pecan Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 51.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
Full guide →West Des Moines is a small city in Central Iowa, the largest suburb of Des Moines.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 56.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36 miles on I 80. 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 (IA 25 / South 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.2 miles (IA 25 / Pecan Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 51.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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