Origin
Iowa Falls, IA
Late night in Iowa Falls on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa Falls, 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 5m
Distance
53.1 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the heart of the Midwest, this 53.1-mile connection between Iowa Falls and Ames is a straightforward choice. You can comfortably complete the drive in about 1 hour and 5 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Budgeting roughly $8 for fuel covers the journey, allowing you to focus on the road rather than mounting costs. Because the distance is relatively short, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay unless you have extra time to explore your destination. Expect a reliable, highway-focused experience that serves as an efficient link between these two Iowa communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 28.6 mi | 30m |
| US 20 | 15.4 mi | 17m |
| Oak Street | 5 mi | 8m |
| East 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| East Rocksylvania Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Commercial Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 13th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 28.6 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa Falls, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on Commercial Street
331 ft
·
11 sec
·
Commercial Street
2
Turn right onto East Rocksylvania Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Rocksylvania Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 65
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Oak Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 20 West
5
Merge onto US 20
15 mi
·
17 min
·
US 20
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 35
29 mi
·
30 min
·
I 35
8
Take the exit onto I 35 Business
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
9
Turn right onto I 35 Business
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East 13th Street
10
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.6 miles from Iowa Falls, 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 0.1 and 50.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Rocksylvania Avenue
Turn right onto East Rocksylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 65 / Oak Street
Turn left onto US 65 / Oak Street
Navigation decision point
4
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward US 20 West
Navigation decision point
Toward US 20 West
6
21.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward I 35 South: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
4
50.3 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
I 35 Business
Take the exit onto I 35 Business toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.30 one way
$16.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.11 | $18.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.72 | $23.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.58 | $2.55 |
| Efficient EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.43 | $3.40 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
4:22 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 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?
Expect a drive defined by efficiency, as 84% of your time will be spent on highways like US 20 and I-35. The route transitions from local roads like Oak Street onto high-speed lanes, providing a consistent pace for the majority of your travel. You will encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 28.6 miles on I-35, which dominates the middle portion of the trip. While the road is primarily a highway-focused grind, the transition from local streets to the interstate makes for a simple, low-stress driving experience. You will find that the personality of this route is purely functional, designed for getting you to your destination without unnecessary detours.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.6 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Rocksylvania Avenue.
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 5m 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: at 0.1 miles (East Rocksylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 65 / Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 5m. Total distance: 53.1 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 (84%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.6 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: at 0.1 miles (East Rocksylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 65 / Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 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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