Origin
Panora, IA
Morning in Panora on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Panora, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
41.7 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Panora, IA
Felix Mittermeier
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Panora to West Des Moines covers a straightforward 41.7-mile journey through the heart of the Iowa Midwest. You can comfortably complete this trip in about one hour and one minute, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $6, this is a highly economical route for those needing to connect between these two locations. The drive relies on local roads rather than major interstates, offering a more intimate look at the region. Since the entire trip takes place within the same state, you will experience a consistent Midwestern atmosphere from start to finish.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 240th Street | 13.3 mi | 18m |
| 290th Street | 11.8 mi | 16m |
| N Avenue | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| State Highway 44 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| 8th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
240th Street
— 13.3 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Panora, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on IA 44
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
2
Continue on IA 44
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 44
3
Continue on IA 44
13 mi
·
18 min
·
240th Street
4
Turn right onto US 169
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
N Avenue
5
Continue on US 169
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Nile Kinnick Drive North
6
Turn left onto US 6
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Greene Street
7
Continue on US 6
12 mi
·
16 min
·
290th Street
Use the left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 80; I 35
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80; I 35
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 I
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Ramp 72 I
Exit 72A
Toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto I 235
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 3
Toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto Vine Street
468 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vine Street
16
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Panora, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 35.2 and 40.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
35.2 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
6
36.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
36.8 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
Ramp 72 I
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 I toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 72A
Toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
8
40.1 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 3
Toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
5
40.6 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
8th Street
Turn right onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.52 one way
$13.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.16 | $14.32 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.02 | $16.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.21 | $18.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
West Des Moines, IA
Morning in West Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
1 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
1h 1m 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 drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Only 18% of your journey is spent on highways, meaning you will navigate a series of local roads including 240th Street, 290th Street, and N Avenue. You will find your longest uninterrupted stretch on 240th Street, which lasts for 13.3 miles before the character of the road shifts again. Because of the frequent turns, this route feels much more active than a standard interstate cruise. Be prepared for a winding experience that keeps you engaged as you transition from the rural areas surrounding Panora toward the more developed landscape of West Des Moines.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on 240th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 35.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.8 miles (Ramp 72 I): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Panora, IA to West Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Des Moines along the way.
Des Moines
36.8 mi in
|
~53m
|
via Ramp 72 I
About the Cities
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
Full guide →West Des Moines is a small city in Central Iowa, the largest suburb of Des Moines.
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 1h 1m. Total distance: 41.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on 240th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 West Des Moines, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.8 miles (Ramp 72 I): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West 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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