Origin
Indianola, IA
Late night in Indianola on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Indianola, IA to Ames, 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
1h 10m
Distance
51 mi
82 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Indianola, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Indianola to Ames is 51 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via I 35 and South Jefferson Way, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically crossing between different areas of Iowa. It's a straightforward, short journey that's ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily be on major highways, making it an efficient way to travel between these two locations without much fuss. Consider this a quick hop rather than an epic adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 25.1 mi | 27m |
| South Jefferson Way | 10.2 mi | 16m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Southeast 14th Street | 4.8 mi | 9m |
| East 13th Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Southridge Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| East 15th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Johnson Court | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 25.1 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indianola, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on this road
79 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto IA 92
291 ft
·
8 sec
·
East 2nd Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 65; US 69
10 mi
·
16 min
·
South Jefferson Way
4
Continue on US 69
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southridge Boulevard
5
Continue on US 69
4.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
6
Continue on US 69
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Johnson Court
7
Continue on US 69
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
East 15th Street
8
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
Toward I-235 east
9
Merge onto I 235
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
25 mi
·
27 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
12
Turn left onto East 13th Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 13th Street
13
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 25.5 miles from Indianola, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 48 — 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
|
IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue
Turn left onto IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way
Turn right onto US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way
Navigation decision point
4
17.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the ramp toward I-235 east
Navigation decision point
Toward I-235 east
5
18.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
48 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.97 one way
$15.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.75 | $17.51 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.81 | $19.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.26 | $22.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 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 | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.45 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.14 | $3.26 |
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
Ames, IA
Late night in Ames on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
1 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 10m 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?
This drive offers a mixed experience, with 59% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches like the 25.1-mile segment on I 35, which provides a consistent pace. The route begins with some local roads before merging onto the interstate, offering a transition from slower speeds to highway cruising. As you progress, the drive becomes more focused on efficient travel, typical of interstates connecting communities within the same region.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.1 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Indianola, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 1h 10m with 59% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way): Navigation decision point; at 17.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Indianola, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Usda Veterinary Labs along the way.
Usda Veterinary Labs
48 mi in
|
~1h 4m
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Founded 1864
Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
Top landmarks
- • Catt Hall — building on Iowa State University's campus, U.S.
- • Food Sciences Building — historic building on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, United S...
- • Ames City Hall — United States historic place
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 10m. Total distance: 51 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.1 miles on I 35. 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 (IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way): Navigation decision point; at 17.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, 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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