Origin
Ogden, IA
Late night in Ogden on Sunday
Local time
2:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ogden, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
24.6 mi
40 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ogden, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ogden, IA to Ames, IA is 24.6 miles and takes about 34 minutes via 220th Street, 230th Street, and University Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Iowa, taking you from the Midwest plains to another part of the same region. Expect a local driving experience, characterized by frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a quick transition or as part of a larger journey through the area, offering a straightforward connection between two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 220th Street | 12.8 mi | 15m |
| 230th Street | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| University Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South 1st Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Grand Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| H Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 12.8 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ogden, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on CR E41
87 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Walnut Street
2
Turn left onto South 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 1st Street
3
Continue on US 169
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
H Avenue
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
5
Merge onto US 30
13 mi
·
15 min
·
220th Street
6
Continue on US 30
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
230th Street
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Iowa State University
8
Turn left onto University Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
University Boulevard
9
Turn right onto South 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 4th Street
10
Turn left onto South Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Grand Avenue
11
Continue on I 35 Business; US 69
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
12
Turn right onto I 35 Business
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
13th Street
13
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South 1st Street
Turn left onto South 1st Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 30 / 220th Street
Merge onto US 30 / 220th Street
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
21.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Iowa State University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Iowa State University
4
24.6 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 35 Business / 13th Street
Turn right onto I 35 Business / 13th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.85 one way
$7.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.22 | $8.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.73 | $9.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Ames, IA
Late night in Ames on Sunday
Local time
2:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
19 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
34m 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 a turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll navigate through smaller roads for the entire 24.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.8 miles along 220th Street, offering a brief period of steady progress before more turns. As you travel, expect a changing landscape typical of rural Iowa, with the roads guiding you through communities and agricultural areas. The frequent turns are a defining characteristic, requiring your attention and making it feel like a true local exploration rather than a high-speed transit.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.8 mi on 220th 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 South 1st Street.
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 34m drive. You will face about 6 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 (South 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1 miles (US 30 / 220th Street): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Ogden, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.
Iowa State University
21.4 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
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 34m. Total distance: 24.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m 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 12.8 miles on 220th 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 (South 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1 miles (US 30 / 220th Street): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, 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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