Origin
Ida Grove, IA
Late night in Ida Grove on Sunday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ida Grove, IA to Sioux City, 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
57.5 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
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.
Ida Grove, IA
Acres of Film
Sioux City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 57.5-mile drive from Ida Grove to Sioux City, Iowa, is a straightforward, highway-focused trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 16 minutes. With 96% of the route on highways, it's an efficient journey perfect for a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The estimated fuel cost is around $9, making it an economical option for exploring the Midwest. This short hop keeps you within Iowa, offering a quick connection between two points in the region. It's a practical choice if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 44.6 mi | 56m |
| US 59 | 10.5 mi | 14m |
| 6th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| South Fairmount Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Moorehead Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Court Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 44.6 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ida Grove, IA and Sioux City, 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
·
45 sec
·
Moorehead Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 59
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 59
5
Continue on US 59
338 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 59
6
Turn right onto US 59
8.9 mi
·
12 min
·
US 59
Use the right lane.
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; US 59
45 mi
·
56 min
·
US 20; US 59
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn right onto South Fairmount Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Fairmount Street
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on 6th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Street
10
Turn right onto Court Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Court Street
11
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
9th Street
12
Turn right
115 ft
·
8 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.7 miles from Ida Grove, 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 57.3 — 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
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 59
Turn right onto US 59
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
11 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 20; US 59
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; US 59
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
55.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
South Fairmount Street
Turn right onto South Fairmount Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
57.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
9th Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.99 one way
$17.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.07 | $22.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.70 | $25.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 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 | 17.3 | 0 | $6.04 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.05 | $3.68 |
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
Sioux City, IA
Late night in Sioux City on Sunday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
30°F
Mostly Clear
NW 10 to 15 mph
1% chance
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
43 degrees cooler 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
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 predominantly highway experience on this route, with 96% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend the majority of your time on US 20, which forms the longest uninterrupted stretch at 44.6 miles. The drive primarily follows US 20 before transitioning to US 59 and then 6th Street as you approach Sioux City. This highway-focused profile suggests a consistent pace with minimal slowdowns, characteristic of efficient travel between towns in the Midwest. It's a direct path designed for steady progress.
96% 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: 44.6 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and US 59. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 16m drive. You will face about 8 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 (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (US 20; US 59): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Sioux City, IA
Full guide →Sioux City is on the western edge of the state of Iowa. It is on the Missouri River and many parts of Sioux City are among the unique Loess Hills formations.
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: 57.5 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 (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.6 miles on US 20. 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 (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (US 20; US 59): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sioux City, 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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