Origin
Hiawatha, IA
Late night in Hiawatha on Tuesday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hiawatha, IA to Waterloo, 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
58m
Distance
50.7 mi
82 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hiawatha, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the Iowa Midwest, the 50.7-mile trek from Hiawatha to Waterloo is an efficient option. You can expect to complete the journey in roughly 58 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of just $8, this route is as budget-friendly as it is convenient. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, the trip requires no overnight stops. Navigating via I-380 and the Avenue of the Saints, you will find this path straightforward and easy to manage.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 46.6 mi | 50m |
| I 380 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Washington Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Blairs Ferry Road Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 9th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Heefner Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 46.6 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hiawatha, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on Heefner Street
174 ft
·
9 sec
·
Heefner Street
2
Turn right onto 9th Avenue
395 ft
·
24 sec
·
9th Avenue
3
Turn left onto Blairs Ferry Road Northeast
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Blairs Ferry Road Northeast
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Waterloo
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
47 mi
·
50 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
I 380
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
7
Continue on Washington Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Street
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
8
Turn left onto West 4th Street
398 ft
·
13 sec
·
West 4th Street
9
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.4 miles from Hiawatha, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 47.3 — 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
|
9th Avenue
Turn right onto 9th Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Blairs Ferry Road Northeast
Turn left onto Blairs Ferry Road Northeast
Navigation decision point
8
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Waterloo
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Waterloo
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
47.3 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.93 one way
$15.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.70 | $17.41 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.76 | $19.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.19 | $22.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
| Efficient EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.10 | $3.24 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Tuesday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
W 18 mph
23% chance
Live forecast
59°F
Jesup, IA
25 mi in
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
20 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
58m 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 turn-heavy local drive that transitions quickly into more open stretches of pavement. While the route is technically a blend of roads, only 6% is classified as highway, meaning you will spend much of your time managing local turns rather than cruising on an interstate. You will spend the vast majority of your time—specifically 46.6 miles—traveling along the Avenue of the Saints. This creates a distinct contrast between the tighter local maneuvering at the start and the longer, more consistent stretch that defines the bulk of your time behind the wheel.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.6 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
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 9th Avenue.
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 58m drive. You will face about 6 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 (9th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Blairs Ferry Road Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Waterloo, IA
Full guide →Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
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 58m. Total distance: 50.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 (9th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Blairs Ferry Road Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, 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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