Origin
Mason City, IA
Morning in Mason City on Sunday
Local time
7:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mason City, IA to Washington, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mason City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Washington, IA
Paula Nardini
Trip Overview
Mason City, IA to Washington, IA is 32.3 miles and takes about 47m via Partridge Avenue/County Highway C13/State Highway 3, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop keeps you within the Midwest, specifically traversing Iowa for the entirety of your journey. Expect a local feel to this drive, characterized by frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway. It's a straightforward trip perfect for a quick transition between these two Iowa cities, ideal if you're looking for a simple and efficient way to cover the distance.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Partridge Avenue | 14.6 mi | 19m |
| County Highway C13 | 10.7 mi | 14m |
| State Highway 3 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| South Federal Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| 12th Avenue Northeast | 1 mi | 1m |
| Olive Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 1st Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Partridge Avenue
— 14.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mason City, IA and Washington, IA.
1
Start on 2nd Street Northeast
24 ft
·
6 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
2
Turn left onto North Federal Avenue
328 ft
·
19 sec
·
North Federal Avenue
3
Turn left onto 1st Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
1st Street Northeast
4
Turn right onto North Pennsylvania Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Pennsylvania Avenue
5
Turn right onto 8th Street Southeast
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
8th Street Southeast
6
Turn left onto US 18 Business; US 65
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Federal Avenue
7
Continue on US 18 Business; US 65
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Partridge Avenue
8
Continue on US 65
11 mi
·
14 min
·
County Highway C13
9
Turn right onto 12th Avenue Northeast
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Avenue Northeast
10
At end of road, turn left onto Olive Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Olive Avenue
11
Turn right onto IA 3
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 3
12
Arrive at destination
IA 3
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Mason 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 1 — 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
|
North Federal Avenue
Turn left onto North Federal Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street Northeast
Turn left onto 1st Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Pennsylvania Avenue
Turn right onto North Pennsylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
8th Street Southeast
Turn right onto 8th Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 18 Business; US 65 / South Federal Avenue
Turn left onto US 18 Business; US 65 / South Federal Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.05 one way
$10.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.22 | $12.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Washington, IA
Morning in Washington on Sunday
Local time
7:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Sheffield, IA
16 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
3 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
47m 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 best described as a turn-heavy local drive, with only an 8% share of highway driving. You'll spend most of your time navigating county roads and state highways, so be prepared for a more engaging driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 14.6 miles on Partridge Avenue, meaning you'll have opportunities to adjust your course regularly. The journey involves a mix of roads, providing a varied feel as you make your way from Mason City toward Washington.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.6 mi on Partridge Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 North Federal 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 47m 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: near the start (North Federal Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (1st Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Mason City, IA
Full guide →Mason City is a city in Iowa, renowned for its collection of architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and other Prairie School architects, considered the most significant concentration of such architecture outside of Oak Park, Illinois.
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 47m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.6 miles on Partridge Avenue. 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: near the start (North Federal Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (1st Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washington, 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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