Origin
Iowa City, IA
Morning in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, 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 5m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Mount Pleasant, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Iowa City to Mount Pleasant is 49.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the heart of the Midwest, specifically within Iowa, offering a straightforward trip between two familiar regional points. Given its short distance and manageable duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule. You'll experience a predominantly local road feel, making it a relaxed and accessible journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 42 mi | 48m |
| Iowa Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Broadway Street | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Riverside Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Gilbert Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Old Highway 218 South | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Benton Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 42 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Mount Pleasant, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Gilbert Street
2
Turn right onto East Benton Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Benton Street
3
Turn left onto US 6; IA 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Riverside Drive
4
Continue on Old Highway 218 South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 218 South
5
Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
42 mi
·
48 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Turn right onto Iowa Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Iowa Avenue
10
Continue on North Broadway Street
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Broadway Street
11
Continue on North Jefferson Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Jefferson Street
12
Turn right onto West Warren Street
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
·
West Warren Street
13
Turn left onto South White Street
58 ft
·
2 sec
·
South White Street
14
Arrive at destination
South White Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 24.9 miles from Iowa City, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 49.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Benton Street
Turn right onto East Benton Street
Navigation decision point
3
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 6; IA 1 / South Riverside Drive
Turn left onto US 6; IA 1 / South Riverside Drive
Navigation decision point
4
3.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
West Warren Street
Turn right onto West Warren Street
Navigation decision point
5
49.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
South White Street
Turn left onto South White Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.79 one way
$15.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.58 | $19.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Mount Pleasant, IA
Morning in Mount Pleasant on Sunday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Riverside, IA
25 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 5m 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 route is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a local driving experience rather than a long, uninterrupted highway cruise. While 100% of the drive is on local roads, you'll find a longest stretch of 42 miles on Avenue of the Saints, offering a good period of consistent travel. The main roads involved, including Iowa Avenue and North Broadway Street, indicate you'll be navigating through towns and local thoroughfares, so be prepared for varying speed limits and potential traffic as you make your way.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near East Benton Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 5m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (East Benton Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 6; IA 1 / South Riverside Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 0.7 miles (East Benton Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 6; IA 1 / South Riverside Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mount Pleasant, 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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