Mount Pleasant to Dubuque is 133.9 miles and takes about 2 hours 56 minutes via US 151, with a fuel budget near $21 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive cuts across Iowa, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest, remaining within the state. Expect a mixed driving experience that's well-suited for a single day trip. It’s a straightforward journey, perfect if you're looking for a comfortable drive without too many complex turns or extended periods of intense focus. The relatively short duration and manageable fuel cost make it an accessible option for many travelers.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
66.9 miles from Mount Pleasant, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 151
49.7 mi
58m
Avenue of the Saints
42.1 mi
48m
State Highway 1
15.5 mi
21m
Highway 1 Northeast
10.7 mi
14m
North Dodge Street
2.1 mi
4m
Iowa Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
1st Avenue South
1.5 mi
2m
South Market Street
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 151
— 49.7 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Pleasant, IA and Dubuque, IA.
1
Start on South White Street
58 ft·4 sec·South White Street
2
Turn right onto West Warren Street
0.1 mi·38 sec·West Warren Street
3
Turn left onto South Jefferson Street
0.4 mi·1 min·South Jefferson Street
4
Continue on North Broadway Street
1.3 mi·3 min·North Broadway Street
5
Continue on Iowa Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·Iowa Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 218; IA 27
42 mi·48 min·Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward Airport
8
Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
0.9 mi·1 min·Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
9
Continue on Old Highway 218 South
0.6 mi·1 min·Old Highway 218 South
10
Continue on South Riverside Drive
0.9 mi·1 min·South Riverside Drive
11
Turn right onto West Benton Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·West Benton Street
12
Turn left onto South Capitol Street
417 ft·16 sec·South Capitol Street
13
Turn right onto Lafayette Street
423 ft·16 sec·Lafayette Street
14
Turn left onto South Clinton Street
1.1 mi·3 min·South Clinton Street
15
Continue on Church Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Church Street
16
Turn left onto IA 1
0.4 mi·1 min·North Governor Street
17
Turn right onto IA 1
2.1 mi·4 min·North Dodge Street
18
Continue on IA 1
7.5 mi·10 min·Highway 1 Northeast
19
Continue on IA 1
1.4 mi·2 min·South Market Street
20
Continue on IA 1
3.2 mi·4 min·Highway 1 Northeast
21
Continue on IA 1
5.3 mi·7 min·State Highway 1
22
Enter roundabout onto IA 1
132 ft·5 sec·State Highway 1
23
Continue on IA 1
0.1 mi·18 sec·State Highway 1
24
Continue on IA 1
1.5 mi·2 min·1st Avenue South
25
Continue on IA 1
10 mi·13 min·State Highway 1
26
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
27
Merge onto US 151
45 mi·51 min·US 151
28
Keep slight left at fork onto US 151
5.1 mi·7 min·US 151
29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 61; US 151
1.1 mi·1 min·US 61; US 151
30
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 189AToward White Street, Port of Dubuque
31
Continue on White Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·White Street
32
Turn left onto East 7th Street
284 ft·19 sec·East 7th Street
33
Turn left onto Central Avenue
31 ft·1 sec·Central Avenue
34
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the drive duration of under 3 hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Mount Pleasant in the morning should get you to Dubuque with plenty of daylight to spare. There's one recommended stop on this route, so plan to take advantage of that break. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $21, and it's always wise to top off before embarking on the longest stretch of 49.7 miles on US 151. This route is efficient, so you likely won't need to split the drive, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 66.9 miles from Mount Pleasant, IA, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.7 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 29 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.9 miles or 1h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dubuque, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mount Pleasant, 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 Pleasant, IA
This is one driving day of about 133.9 miles and 2h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Mount Pleasant, 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 US 151 for about 49.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Early stretch
4.9 mi from route
~12 min detour
$1 to $10
Coralville, Iowa
Hours: 10 am–9 pm
+13196255568
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 133.8 — 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|West Warren Street
Turn right onto West Warren Street
Navigation decision point
5
48.8 mi into trip|~1h 2m in|Lafayette Street
Turn right onto Lafayette Street
Navigation decision point
5
70.5 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|IA 1 / State Highway 1
Enter roundabout onto IA 1 / State Highway 1
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
133.4 mi into trip|~2h 54m in
Take the exit toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 189A
Toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
5
133.8 mi into trip|~2h 55m in|East 7th Street
Turn left onto East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.93 one way
$41.87 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$22.98
$45.97
premium
$4.89
$25.77
$51.54
diesel
$5.61
$29.56
$59.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.2
0
$14.06
$6.43
Efficient EV
33.5
0
$11.72
$5.36
EV Truck/SUV
53.6
0
$18.75
$8.57
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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 Apr 21, 2026
Origin
Mount Pleasant, IA
Morning
in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday
Local time
10:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dubuque, IA
Morning
in Dubuque on Tuesday
Local time
10:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
Solon, IA
67 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
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
2h 56m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a mixed drive, with 58% of it on highways. You'll experience stretches of both faster-paced travel and more local road driving. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 49.7 miles on US 151, providing a good opportunity to settle in. As you progress, the character of the road will naturally shift, transitioning between more open highway sections and perhaps more community-focused roads as you approach your destination. This variation keeps the drive engaging without being overly demanding.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.7 mi on US 151.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Warren Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 133.9 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Warren Street): Navigation decision point; at 48.8 miles (Lafayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 70.5 miles (IA 1 / State Highway 1): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Mount Pleasant, IA to Dubuque, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Dubuque, founded in 1833, is the oldest city in Iowa. A port on the upper Mississippi River, it is situated along scenic bluffs facing the river, and has its roots in a mining and trading settlement established in the area by Quebec-born entrepreneur Julien Dubuque in 1788. The city's population is 57,686 (2000 Census), and the estimated population of the Dubuque metropolitan area is 93,072.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 56m. Total distance: 133.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.7 miles on US 151. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Warren Street): Navigation decision point; at 48.8 miles (Lafayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 70.5 miles (IA 1 / State Highway 1): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dubuque, IA before heading back.
