Mount Ayr to Sioux City is 220.5 miles and takes about 4h 28m via I-29, I-80, and State Highway 25, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region. It's a mostly highway drive that's efficient for getting from point A to point B. With a single recommended day, you can expect a straightforward trip with minimal complexity.
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
110.2 miles from Mount Ayr, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 26m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 29
75.3 mi
1h 21m
I 80
58.3 mi
1h 2m
State Highway 25
30 mi
43m
Cleveland Street
22.8 mi
34m
I 880
16.7 mi
17m
US 34
9.4 mi
13m
South Sumner Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
Southeast 6th Street
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 75.3 mi, about 1h 21m
Traffic on I-29
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,200 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,491
Quietest
2 AM
~75 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 102 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 Mount Ayr, IA and Sioux City, IA.
1
Start on East Madison Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·East Madison Street
2
Turn right onto South Hayes Street
0.3 mi·1 min·South Hayes Street
3
Turn left onto US 169; IA 2
0.5 mi·49 sec·East South Street
4
Turn left onto US 169
23 mi·34 min·Cleveland Street
5
Turn left onto US 34
9.4 mi·13 min·US 34
6
Turn right onto IA 25
1.5 mi·2 min·South Sumner Avenue
7
Turn left onto IA 25
0.7 mi·1 min·West Townline Street
8
Continue on IA 25
9.8 mi·14 min·State Highway 25
9
Continue on IA 25
0.6 mi·59 sec·School Street
10
Turn left onto IA 25
0.6 mi·53 sec·East Division Street
11
Turn straight onto IA 25
1.2 mi·1 min·State Highway 25
12
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 25
6.6 mi·9 min·State Highway 25
13
Continue on IA 25
1.5 mi·2 min·Southeast 6th Street
14
Continue on IA 25
12 mi·17 min·State Highway 25
15
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
16
Merge onto I 80; US 6
58 mi·1 hr 2 min·I 80; US 6
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
17 mi·17 min·I 880
Exit 27Toward I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux CityUse the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 0BToward I 29 North: Sioux City
19
Merge onto I 29
75 mi·1 hr 21 min·I 29
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward Floyd Boulevard, Virginia Street
21
Turn right onto South Floyd Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·South Floyd Boulevard
Use the right lane.
22
Turn left onto 5th Street
396 ft·14 sec·5th Street
23
Turn right onto Iowa Street
346 ft·7 sec·Iowa Street
24
Keep slight left at fork onto 6th Street
426 ft·17 sec·6th Street
Use the left lane.
25
Turn right onto Court Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·Court Street
26
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·9th Street
27
Turn right
115 ft·8 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 4.5-hour drive, starting in the morning is your best bet to arrive with plenty of daylight. Since it’s a single-day trip, you have flexibility with stops. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially before getting onto I-29, as stretches can be long between services. The route has one recommended stop, so plan for a break around the halfway point to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. The $35 fuel estimate is a good baseline, but always check current prices.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 110.2 miles from Mount Ayr, IA, or about 2h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.3 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 49 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.2 miles or 2h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 42m
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 Mount Ayr, 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 Mount Ayr, IA
This is one driving day of about 220.5 miles and 4h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Mount Ayr, 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 I 29 for about 75.3 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 219.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|South Hayes Street
Turn right onto South Hayes Street
Navigation decision point
9
126.5 mi into trip|~2h 44m in|I 880
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880 toward I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 27
Toward I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux City
6
143.1 mi into trip|~3h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 29 North: Sioux City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 0B
Toward I 29 North: Sioux City
6
219.2 mi into trip|~4h 24m in|South Floyd Boulevard
Turn right onto South Floyd Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
219.9 mi into trip|~4h 26m in|6th Street
Keep slight left at fork onto 6th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.30 one way
$72.61 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.47
$38.77
$77.54
premium
$5.08
$44.13
$88.25
diesel
$6.07
$52.69
$105.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.2
0
$23.15
$10.58
Efficient EV
55.1
0
$19.29
$8.82
EV Truck/SUV
88.2
1
$30.87
$14.11
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 16, 2026
Origin
Mount Ayr, IA
Morning
in Mount Ayr on Saturday
Local time
8:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 17 to 25 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:12AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 3:47AM CDT until October 17 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Sioux City, IA
Morning
in Sioux City on Saturday
Local time
8:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
NNW 10 to 20 mph12% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:12AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 3:47AM CDT until October 17 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
56°F
Avoca, IA
110 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 28m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 86% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed interstates. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 75.3 miles on I-29. Expect to transition from the rural cruising of State Highway 25 onto the wider interstates, encountering more frequent exits as you approach larger towns.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 75.3 mi on I 29.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and I 80. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Hayes Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 220.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Hayes Street): Navigation decision point; at 126.5 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 143.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 28m. Total distance: 220.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 75.3 miles on I 29. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 23 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. 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. There are 23 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Hayes Street): Navigation decision point; at 126.5 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 143.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Sioux City, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
