Origin
Iowa City, IA
Evening in Iowa City on Friday
Local time
7:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa City, IA to Ogden, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 58m
Distance
148.1 mi
238 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 47m
★
6 AM
2h 58m
8 AM
3h 21m
10 AM
3h 6m
12 PM
3h 4m
3 PM
3h 7m
5 PM
3h 19m
8 PM
2h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ogden, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
Iowa City to Ogden is 148.1 miles and takes about 2 hours 58 minutes via Kimball Road, North Dubuque Street, and I-380, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, crossing from one part of Iowa to another. Since it's primarily surface roads, expect a more local driving experience compared to a pure interstate trip. With only one recommended stop and a drive time under three hours, this is a straightforward trip perfect for a single day's travel, offering a practical way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74 miles from Iowa City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 30m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Highway | 78.3 mi | 1h 30m |
| US 218 | 33.7 mi | 39m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 16 mi | 17m |
| 220th Street | 11.6 mi | 14m |
| I 80 | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| South Gilbert Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 1st Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 78.3 mi, about 1h 30m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,524 veh/hr typical · worst 3,044
Quietest
2 AM
~145 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 65 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 Iowa City, IA and Ogden, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South Gilbert Street
2
Turn slight left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
22 sec
·
Kimball Road
3
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Dubuque Street
4
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
5
Merge onto I 80
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
8
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit onto US 218
34 mi
·
39 min
·
US 218
Toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama
10
Continue on US 30
78 mi
·
1 hr 30 min
·
Lincoln Highway
11
Continue on US 30
12 mi
·
14 min
·
220th Street
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
13
Turn right onto South 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 1st Street
14
Turn right onto CR E41
87 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Walnut Street
15
Arrive at destination
CR E41
Trip Plan
Given the total drive time of just under 3 hours, you can comfortably start your trip anytime in the morning and still arrive well before evening. The route is only 148.1 miles, so you won't need to plan for overnight stays. With only one suggested stop, you have plenty of flexibility to decide when and where to take breaks, perhaps stopping in a town along the way for a quick meal or stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $23, and plan your last fill-up before heading out from Iowa City.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74 miles from Iowa City, IA, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.3 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 33 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74 miles or 1h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ogden, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, IA
This is one driving day of about 148.1 miles and 2h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Iowa City, 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 Lincoln Highway for about 78.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
74 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 74 miles from Iowa City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Lincoln Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 78.3 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 6.6 and 148 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar...
5
23.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
US 218
Take the exit onto US 218 toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North:...
4
147.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 56m in
|
South 1st Street
Turn right onto South 1st Street
Navigation decision point
4
148 mi into trip
|
~2h 57m in
|
CR E41 / East Walnut Street
Turn right onto CR E41 / East Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.96 one way
$45.92 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
52 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $25.18 | $50.35 |
| premium | $4.93 | $28.73 | $57.47 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $32.65 | $65.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 44.4 | 0 | $15.55 | $7.11 |
| Efficient EV | 37 | 0 | $12.96 | $5.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 59.2 | 0 | $20.73 | $9.48 |
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Ogden, IA
Evening in Ogden on Friday
Local time
7:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Toledo, IA
74 mi in
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 58m 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 148.1-mile drive is almost entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway share. You'll begin on Kimball Road and North Dubuque Street before merging onto I-380. The interstate portion is brief, and you'll quickly transition back to surface roads for the majority of your travel. Expect a steady pace without the frequent acceleration and deceleration of continuous highway driving, as you'll be navigating through towns and rural areas.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.3 mi on Lincoln Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 148.1 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles (US 218): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,134 ft
666 ft
Total Climb
687 ft
Total Descent
248 ft
Highest Point
1,134 ft
~137.5 mi in
Elevation Range
468 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Iowa City, IA
Full guide →Founded 1839
Hip and urban, Iowa City is a prominent college town primarily known as the home of the University of Iowa. Along with its adjacent suburb of Coralville, just to the west. Iowa City sits at the center of a metro area home to 171,000 people (2020) in the I-380 Corridor region of Eastern Iowa.
Top landmarks
- • University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art — museum in Iowa City, Iowa
- • Vogt House — historic building located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- • First Johnson County Asylum — historic building located on the far west side of Iowa City, Iowa, United States
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 2h 58m. Total distance: 148.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (26%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 78.3 miles on Lincoln Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles (US 218): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ogden, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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