Origin
Hampton, IA
Late night in Hampton on Sunday
Local time
2:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hampton, IA to Ames, 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 16m
Distance
64.7 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hampton, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 64.7-mile drive from Hampton, IA to Ames, IA is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes to complete. Traveling exclusively on local roads, you'll navigate through the heart of Iowa's Midwest region. With an estimated fuel cost of around $10, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local experience rather than a high-speed transit. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, leaving you flexible with your timing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 51.4 mi | 55m |
| State Highway 3 | 9 mi | 12m |
| East 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Central Avenue East | 1 mi | 2m |
| I 35 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Balsam Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 13th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 51.4 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hampton, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on US 65
27 ft
·
4 sec
·
4th Street Northeast
2
Turn right onto IA 3
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Avenue East
3
Continue on IA 3
9.0 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 3
4
Continue on IA 3
517 ft
·
13 sec
·
Balsam Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Hampton, Clarion
6
Merge onto I 35
51 mi
·
55 min
·
I 35
7
Take the exit onto I 35 Business
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
8
Turn right onto I 35 Business
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East 13th Street
9
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Hampton, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 62.2 — 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
|
IA 3 / Central Avenue East
Turn right onto IA 3 / Central Avenue East
Navigation decision point
6
10.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the ramp toward Hampton, Clarion
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Hampton, Clarion
3
10.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
61.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
I 35 Business
Take the exit onto I 35 Business toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
3
62.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
I 35 Business / East 13th Street
Turn right onto I 35 Business / East 13th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.12 one way
$20.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.11 | $22.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.45 | $24.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.28 | $28.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.11 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.06 | $4.14 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Ames, IA
Late night in Ames on Sunday
Local time
2:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
23 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 16m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 64.7-mile journey. With a 0% highway share, you'll be cruising on roads like Central Avenue East and Highway 3, with Balsam Avenue also playing a role. There's no mention of a longest uninterrupted stretch, suggesting consistent interaction with local roadways and potential intersections. This type of driving means you'll be more immersed in the immediate surroundings of the Iowa landscape, rather than experiencing long, monotonous highway stretches.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.4 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and State Highway 3. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 3 / Central Avenue East.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Hampton, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 1h 16m with 94% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 3 / Central Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 10.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Hampton, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Clarion along the way.
Clarion
10.1 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
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 16m. Total distance: 64.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.4 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: near the start (IA 3 / Central Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 10.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, 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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