Origin
Hillsboro, IA
Afternoon in Hillsboro on Sunday
Local time
3:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hillsboro, IA to Trenton, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
20.8 mi
34 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hillsboro, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trenton, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This short, 20.8-mile drive from Hillsboro to Trenton, Iowa, will take you about 37 minutes to complete. With a modest fuel cost of around $3, it's an easy addition to any Midwest itinerary. Since it's such a brief journey, it's perfectly suited for a single day trip, allowing you plenty of flexibility. You'll be sticking to local roads for the entire duration, so expect a more connected feel to the landscape. This route offers a straightforward and efficient way to travel between these two Iowa communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin Avenue | 14.7 mi | 25m |
| Salem Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| West Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Commercial Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North King Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Pine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Franklin Avenue
— 14.7 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hillsboro, IA and Trenton, IA.
1
Start on West Pine Street
442 ft
·
21 sec
·
West Pine Street
2
Turn right onto North King Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
North King Street
3
Turn left onto CR J20
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
East Commercial Street
4
Continue on CR J20
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Salem Road
5
Continue on CR J20
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
West Jackson Street
6
Turn left onto CR W55
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Main Street
7
Continue on CR W55
15 mi
·
25 min
·
Franklin Avenue
8
At end of road, turn left onto 5th Street
260 ft
·
5 sec
·
5th Street
9
Arrive at destination
5th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North King Street
Turn right onto North King Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR J20 / East Commercial Street
Turn left onto CR J20 / East Commercial Street
Navigation decision point
4
5.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CR W55 / South Main Street
Turn left onto CR W55 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
20.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
5th Street
At end of road, turn left onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.25 one way
$6.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.57 | $7.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.00 | $8.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.59 | $9.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Trenton, IA
Afternoon in Trenton on Sunday
Local time
3:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
22 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
37m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive as you navigate from Hillsboro to Trenton. You won't encounter any interstate highways on this journey, with a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 14.7 miles along Franklin Avenue, providing a good segment of consistent driving. The route primarily utilizes Franklin Avenue, Salem Road, and West Jackson Street, offering a direct connection through the local terrain. Expect a driving experience that keeps you engaged with frequent changes in direction.
Only 0% 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: 14.7 mi on Franklin Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North King Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Hillsboro, IA to Trenton, IA is easy. At 37m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North King Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CR J20 / East Commercial Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (CR W55 / South Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 20.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.7 miles on Franklin Avenue. 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 0.1 miles (North King Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CR J20 / East Commercial Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (CR W55 / South Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Trenton, 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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