Indiana, IA to Waukon, IA is 220.1 miles and takes about 5h 10m via US 63, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically Iowa, offering a familiar regional feel for much of the drive. You'll experience a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making it a straightforward drive. With a single recommended day, it's ideal for a quick getaway or a logical leg of a larger Midwest adventure. Plan for a smooth transition between different road types as you make your way north.
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
110.1 miles from Indiana, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 38m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 63
63.5 mi
1h 25m
State Highway 14
23.3 mi
34m
J Avenue
18 mi
26m
I 80
17.7 mi
18m
Harding Road
16.9 mi
23m
230th Street
13 mi
17m
270th Street
10.9 mi
14m
State Highway 51
10.6 mi
15m
Longest stretch:
US 63
— 63.5 mi, about 1h 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indiana, IA and Waukon, IA.
1
Start on CR G76
1.9 mi·3 min·County Highway G76
2
Continue on CR G76
0.2 mi·26 sec·County Highway G76
3
Turn sharp left onto IA 5
6.1 mi·9 min·IA 5
4
Take the ramp onto IA 5
1.5 mi·1 min·IA 5
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
6
Turn right onto IA 14
2.2 mi·3 min·South Lincoln Street
7
Continue on IA 14
13 mi·18 min·State Highway 14
8
Continue on IA 14
1.0 mi·1 min·South Monroe Street
9
Continue on IA 14
11 mi·16 min·State Highway 14
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
11
Merge onto I 80
18 mi·18 min·I 80
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward IA 146: Grinnell, New SharonUse the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto IA 146
447 ft·12 sec·State Highway 146
14
Continue on IA 146
3.3 mi·5 min·West Street South
15
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·4th Avenue
16
Turn left onto Penrose Street
0.2 mi·40 sec·Penrose Street
17
Turn right onto US 6
0.6 mi·52 sec·6th Avenue
18
Continue on US 6
5.5 mi·7 min·380th Avenue
19
Turn left onto US 63
8.0 mi·11 min·100th Street
20
Continue on US 63
6.3 mi·9 min·J Avenue
21
Continue on US 63
1.5 mi·2 min·State Street
22
Turn left onto US 63
0.3 mi·24 sec·West 13th Street
23
Turn right onto US 63
0.4 mi·37 sec·Harding Street
24
Continue on US 63
1.8 mi·2 min·South County Road
25
Continue on US 63
12 mi·17 min·J Avenue
26
At end of road, turn right onto US 63
30 mi·43 min·US 63
Use the left lane.
27
Turn right onto US 63
388 ft·9 sec·University Avenue
28
Turn straight onto US 63
33 mi·42 min·US 63
29
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
30
At end of road, turn left onto US 18
5.4 mi·7 min·270th Street
31
Continue on US 18
0.9 mi·1 min·West Main Street
32
Continue on US 18
5.5 mi·7 min·270th Street
33
Continue on US 18
13 mi·17 min·230th Street
34
Continue on US 18
1.3 mi·1 min·West Bradford Street
35
Continue on US 18
17 mi·23 min·Harding Road
36
Turn left onto IA 51
0.3 mi·27 sec·North Lawler Street
37
Continue on IA 51
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 51
38
Turn right onto IA 9
4.7 mi·7 min·State Highway 9
39
Turn left onto IA 9; IA 76
2.0 mi·3 min·Rossville Road
40
Turn right onto IA 9
56 ft·6 sec·West Main Street
41
Turn left onto IA 9
50 ft·0 sec·Allamakee Street Northwest
42
Arrive at destination
IA 9
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 10m duration, leaving Indiana, IA in the morning should get you to Waukon, IA with plenty of daylight to spare. The drive is manageable in one day, so you can adjust your pace as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially considering the estimated $35 cost, and plan for one stop to break up the drive and refuel if necessary. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 63.5 miles on US 63, so consider a quick stop before or after this segment if you prefer more frequent breaks.
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 110.1 miles from Indiana, IA, or about 2h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.5 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 48 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.1 miles or 2h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukon, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Indiana, 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 Indiana, IA
This is one driving day of about 220.1 miles and 5h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Indiana, 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 US 63 for about 63.5 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 220.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip|~3m in|IA 5
Turn sharp left onto IA 5
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
8.1 mi into trip|~12m in|IA 5
Take the ramp onto IA 5
Navigation decision point
7
54.6 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward IA 146: Grinnell, New Sharon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward IA 146: Grinnell, New Sharon
7
95.6 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|US 63
At end of road, turn right onto US 63
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
220.1 mi into trip|~5h 10m in|IA 9 / Allamakee Street Northwest
Turn left onto IA 9 / Allamakee Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.72 one way
$73.43 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$39.90
$79.81
premium
$5.26
$45.57
$91.14
diesel
$6.18
$53.54
$107.09
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66
0
$23.11
$10.56
Efficient EV
55
0
$19.26
$8.80
EV Truck/SUV
88
1
$30.81
$14.09
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Indiana, IA
Morning
in Indiana on Sunday
Local time
8:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
SW 3 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Waukon, IA
Morning
in Waukon on Sunday
Local time
8:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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
5h 10m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Effigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings o...
19 mi from route
~47 min detour
Free
near mile 204.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a 58% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads like US 63. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 63.5 miles, also on US 63. Expect to transition from the highway environment to surface roads, indicated by the mixed highway and surface profile. The change in road type will be noticeable as you move between these sections of the drive.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
42 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.5 mi on US 63.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near IA 5.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 10m drive. You will face about 21 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (IA 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 8.1 miles (IA 5): Navigation decision point; at 54.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,235 ft774 ft
Total Climb
739 ft
Total Descent
426 ft
Highest Point
1,235 ft
~220.1 mi in
Elevation Range
461 ft
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 Indiana, IA to Waukon, IA, road signs begin pointing toward New Sharon along the way.
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
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.5 miles on US 63. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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.
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 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (IA 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 8.1 miles (IA 5): Navigation decision point; at 54.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Effigy Mounds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Waukon, IA before the return drive.
