Ida Grove, IA to Indiana, IA is 201.1 miles and takes about 4h 5m via I 80 and IA 5, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, offering a straightforward trip across Iowa. With a recommended one-day drive, it's ideal for those looking for a direct connection between these two points without needing an overnight stay. The drive is primarily on major highways, making it a practical choice for efficient travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
100.5 miles from Ida Grove, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
82.4 mi
1h 28m
260th Street
36.6 mi
50m
IA 5
36 mi
44m
Landmark Avenue
23.4 mi
32m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
12.9 mi
14m
I 35
3.8 mi
4m
County Highway G76
2 mi
3m
US 59
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 82.4 mi, about 1h 28m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,459 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,858
Quietest
2 AM
~151 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 34 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ida Grove, IA and Indiana, IA.
1
Start on 2nd Street
111 ft·7 sec·2nd Street
2
Turn left onto Main Street
262 ft·5 sec·Main Street
3
Continue on Moorehead Avenue
0.4 mi·41 sec·Moorehead Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 59
2.0 mi·3 min·US 59
5
Turn right onto US 59
23 mi·32 min·Landmark Avenue
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on US 59; IA 141
37 mi·50 min·260th Street
7
Continue on US 59
0.1 mi·19 sec·Avoca Lane
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
9
Merge onto I 80
82 mi·1 hr 28 min·I 80
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
0.3 mi·18 sec·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 H
0.4 mi·51 sec·Ramp 72 H
Exit 123BToward I 35 South: Kansas City
12
Merge onto I 35
3.8 mi·4 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 68Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, NorwalkUse the slight right lane.
14
Continue on IA 5
13 mi·14 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto IA 5
19 mi·22 min·IA 5
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
16
Turn left onto IA 5; IA 92
11 mi·11 min·IA 5; IA 92
17
Take the exit onto IA 5
0.5 mi·1 min·IA 5
18
Turn right onto IA 5
5.8 mi·8 min·IA 5
19
Turn sharp right onto CR G76
0.2 mi·24 sec·County Highway G76
20
Continue on CR G76
1.9 mi·3 min·County Highway G76
21
Arrive at destination
CR G76
Trip Plan
Given this is a one-day drive of just over 4 hours, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will allow you to arrive with plenty of daylight. The fuel cost is estimated at $31, so plan accordingly. With only one recommended stop, consider making it about halfway through your drive to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer stretches on I 80, as services can be spaced out in rural Iowa.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 100.5 miles from Ida Grove, IA, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 44 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.5 miles or 2h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Indiana, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ida Grove, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ida Grove, IA
This is one driving day of about 201.1 miles and 4h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Ida Grove, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 82.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 149.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in|US 59 / Landmark Avenue
Turn right onto US 59 / Landmark Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
9
144.9 mi into trip|~2h 56m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
5
145.2 mi into trip|~2h 56m in|Ramp 72 H
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 H toward I 35 South: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 123B
Toward I 35 South: Kansas City
8
149.4 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Take the exit toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
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 68
Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport,...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.70 one way
$59.40 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$32.79
$65.57
premium
$4.72
$37.34
$74.68
diesel
$4.80
$37.97
$75.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.3
0
$21.12
$9.65
Efficient EV
50.3
0
$17.60
$8.04
EV Truck/SUV
80.4
1
$28.15
$12.87
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Ida Grove, IA
Morning
in Ida Grove on Sunday
Local time
6:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Clear
E 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 9:08PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Destination
Indiana, IA
Morning
in Indiana on Sunday
Local time
6:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
NE 6 mph9% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 9:08PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 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
4h 5m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The drive is mostly highway, with 62% of the 201.1 miles on interstates like I 80. You'll experience a longest stretch of 82.4 miles on I 80 before transitioning to state roads. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the trip, with fewer exits compared to a metropolitan area. The shift from interstate to surface roads like 260th Street and IA 5 will be noticeable as you approach your destination.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 82.4 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and 260th Street. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 201.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 59 / Landmark Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 144.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,509 ft810 ft
Total Climb
749 ft
Total Descent
1,063 ft
Highest Point
1,509 ft
~14.4 mi in
Elevation Range
699 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ida Grove, IA and Indiana, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines and Norwalk.
Indiana is a state in the heart of the Midwest region of the United States. Indiana is more than a fly-over state with one large metropolitan area, rural farmland, and cozy college towns.
Top landmarks
•Wyandotte Caves — park and its caverns in southern Indiana
•Eskenazi Museum of Art — museum at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
•Miller House and Garden — historic home in Columbus, Indiana
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 5m. Total distance: 201.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 82.4 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Indiana, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 59 / Landmark Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 144.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Indiana, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
