Origin
Norwalk, IA
Late night in Norwalk on Sunday
Local time
2:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Norwalk, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
12.1 mi
19 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Norwalk, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Norwalk to Des Moines, you are in for a quick, 12.1-mile transit through the heart of the Midwest. This short journey takes approximately 22 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via Southwest 9th Street, County Road G14, and County Road R63. With a fuel budget of just $2, the trip is incredibly economical for any budget-conscious traveler. Since this route is entirely local, you can easily manage the commute without needing to schedule any stops along the way.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest 9th Street | 6 mi | 10m |
| County Road G14 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| County Road R63 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Locust Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 8th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Southwest 8th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southwest 9th Street
— 6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norwalk, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
82 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto CR G14
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
3
Continue on County Road G14
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road G14
4
At end of road, turn left onto CR R63
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road R63
5
Continue on CR R63
5.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Southwest 9th Street
6
Turn straight onto Southwest 9th Street
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Southwest 9th Street
7
Continue on Southwest 8th Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Southwest 8th Street
8
Continue on 8th Street
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
8th Street
9
Turn right onto Locust Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Locust Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
11
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR G14 / North Avenue
Turn left onto CR G14 / North Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR R63 / County Road R63
At end of road, turn left onto CR R63 / County Road R63
Navigation decision point
4
10.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Locust Street
Turn right onto Locust Street
Navigation decision point
4
11.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Pennsylvania Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.89 one way
$3.78 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.08 | $4.15 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.33 | $4.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.67 | $5.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
2:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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
22m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy, local driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route avoids highways entirely, meaning you will navigate surface roads for the duration of the 12.1-mile trip. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 6 miles spent on Southwest 9th Street. Because the route relies on local infrastructure, the road personality is defined by frequent turns rather than high-speed cruising. It is a straightforward, functional drive that connects these two Iowa communities through a series of local connectors.
Only 0% 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: 6 mi on Southwest 9th Street.
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 CR G14 / North Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 22m drive. You will face about 4 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 (CR G14 / North Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (CR R63 / County Road R63): Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles (Locust Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center (along with opera, ballet, and other performing arts), and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
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 22m. Total distance: 12.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6 miles on Southwest 9th Street. 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 (CR G14 / North Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (CR R63 / County Road R63): Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles (Locust Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Moines, 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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