Lone Tree, IA to Sioux City, IA is 307.9 miles and takes about 6 hours 2 minutes via Highway 22, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within the Midwest and Iowa, primarily utilizing surface roads for the majority of the drive. Expect a straightforward route that avoids major interstate highways, making it a good option if you prefer a more local feel. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short driving time, this trip is easily manageable in a single day.
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
154 miles from Lone Tree, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
247.2 mi
4h 42m
Highway 20
42.9 mi
53m
160th Street
6.4 mi
7m
Highway 22
4.4 mi
5m
State Highway 22
2.3 mi
3m
United States Highway 20
1.9 mi
2m
6th Street
0.9 mi
2m
South Fairmount Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 247.2 mi, about 4h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lone Tree, IA and Sioux City, IA.
1
Start on West Commercial Street
80 ft·9 sec·West Commercial Street
2
Turn left onto Devoe Street
0.3 mi·27 sec·Devoe Street
3
Continue on Wapsi Avenue Southeast
0.3 mi·37 sec·Wapsi Avenue Southeast
4
Turn left onto IA 22
4.4 mi·5 min·Highway 22
5
Continue on IA 22
2.3 mi·3 min·State Highway 22
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
7
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
87 mi·1 hr 37 min·Avenue of the Saints
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
160 mi·3 hr 4 min·Avenue of the Saints
9
Continue on US 20
6.4 mi·7 min·160th Street
10
Continue on US 20
1.9 mi·2 min·United States Highway 20
11
Continue on US 20
43 mi·53 min·Highway 20
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto South Fairmount Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Fairmount Street
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on 6th Street
0.9 mi·2 min·6th Street
14
Turn right onto Court Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·Court Street
15
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·9th Street
16
Turn right
115 ft·8 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Aim to depart from Lone Tree in the morning to take advantage of the full daylight hours for your 6-hour drive to Sioux City. With only one recommended stop and a mostly surface road profile, you have flexibility in pacing. Consider planning your stop around the halfway point to break up the 307.9 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition from more populated areas to potentially sparser stretches on Highway 22. The estimated fuel cost is $47, so budget accordingly.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 154 miles from Lone Tree, IA, or about 2h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 247.2 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 68 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154 miles or 2h 56m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sioux City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lone Tree, 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 Lone Tree, IA
This is one driving day of about 307.9 miles and 6h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Lone Tree, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 247.2 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 307.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Devoe Street
Turn left onto Devoe Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|IA 22 / Highway 22
Turn left onto IA 22 / Highway 22
Navigation decision point
6
306 mi into trip|~5h 56m in|South Fairmount Street
Turn right onto South Fairmount Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
307.7 mi into trip|~6h 1m in|9th Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
5
307.9 mi into trip|~6h 1m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.36 one way
$102.72 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg108 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$55.82
$111.64
premium
$5.26
$63.75
$127.50
diesel
$6.18
$74.90
$149.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
92.4
1
$32.33
$14.78
Efficient EV
77
0
$26.94
$12.32
EV Truck/SUV
123.2
1
$43.11
$19.71
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Lone Tree, IA
Late night
in Lone Tree on Sunday
Local time
5:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Sioux City, IA
Late night
in Sioux City on Sunday
Local time
5:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
30°F
Widespread Frost
SSE 0 to 5 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
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
27 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
6h 2m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 307.9-mile drive is almost entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway travel. Your main roads will be Devoe Street, Wapsi Avenue Southeast, and Highway 22. Since there are no long stretches of highway, you'll experience more frequent changes in speed and surroundings as you navigate through towns and rural areas. Be prepared for typical surface road conditions, which can include varied speed limits and more intersections.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 247.2 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 early in the drive near Devoe Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 9 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Devoe Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (IA 22 / Highway 22): Navigation decision point; at 306 miles (South Fairmount Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Sioux City is on the western edge of the state of Iowa. It is on the Missouri River and many parts of Sioux City are among the unique Loess Hills formations.
Top landmarks
•Sergeant Floyd — museum boat in Sioux City, Iowa, United States
•Woodbury County Courthouse — county courthouse in Sioux City, United States of America
•St. Boniface Catholic Church — church building in Sioux City, United States of America
The longest stretch is about 247.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Sioux City, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Devoe Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (IA 22 / Highway 22): Navigation decision point; at 306 miles (South Fairmount Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sioux City, IA before the return drive.
