Lorimor to Thayer is 9.1 miles and takes about 13 minutes via US 169, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive that's easy to fit into any schedule, whether you're just passing through or looking for a quick point-to-point hop. You won't need much time or fuel for this leg.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 169
7.3 mi
10m
US 34
1.6 mi
2m
3rd Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
2nd Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 7.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lorimor, IA and Thayer, IA.
1
Start on US 169
7.3 mi·10 min·US 169
2
Turn left onto US 34
1.6 mi·2 min·US 34
3
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
0.2 mi·28 sec·3rd Avenue
4
Turn left onto 2nd Street
72 ft·3 sec·2nd Street
5
Arrive at destination
2nd Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 3
3 decision points cluster between mile 7.3 and 9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
7.3 mi into trip|~10m in|US 34
Turn left onto US 34
Navigation decision point
4
8.9 mi into trip|~12m in|3rd Avenue
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
9 mi into trip|~13m in|2nd Street
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.51 one way
$3.03 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg3 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$1.65
$3.30
premium
$5.18
$1.86
$3.71
diesel
$5.35
$1.92
$3.83
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
2.7
0
$0.96
$0.44
Efficient EV
2.3
0
$0.80
$0.36
EV Truck/SUV
3.6
0
$1.27
$0.58
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Forecast as of May 31, 2026
Origin
Lorimor, IA
Afternoon
in Lorimor on Wednesday
Local time
4:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 8 mph67% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 31 at 2:43AM CDT until May 31 at 8:45AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Destination
Thayer, IA
Afternoon
in Thayer on Wednesday
Local time
4:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 7 mph66% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 31 at 2:43AM CDT until May 31 at 8:45AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
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
13m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 drive is almost entirely highway, with 98% of the 9.1 miles on main roads like US 169 and US 34. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 7.3 miles on US 169. You'll transition to surface streets, specifically 3rd Avenue, for the final part of the trip as you enter Thayer. Expect consistent cruising with minimal interruptions for most of this short distance.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
5 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and US 34. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 7.3 miles in near US 34.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Lorimor, IA to Thayer, IA is easy. At 13m with 98% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.3 miles (US 34): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (3rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 9 miles (2nd Street): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on US 169. 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 7.3 miles (US 34): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (3rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 9 miles (2nd Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Thayer, IA before heading back.
