Origin
Perry, IA
Late night in Perry on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Perry, IA to Ames, 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
58m
Distance
41.9 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 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Perry, IA
Ron Lach
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Perry, IA to Ames, IA is 41.9 miles and takes about 58 minutes via 220th Street, H Avenue, and 230th Street, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, short trip within Iowa, connecting two points in the Midwest. Given its brief duration, it's best suited as a same-day excursion. Expect a local driving experience rather than a major highway journey, making it a practical option for a quick relocation or a visit between nearby towns.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 220th Street | 12.8 mi | 15m |
| H Avenue | 11.4 mi | 15m |
| 230th Street | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| George P. Soumas Memorial Highway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| N Avenue | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| University Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 12.8 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Perry, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on Willis Avenue
135 ft
·
10 sec
·
Willis Avenue
2
Turn sharp left onto McColl Street
452 ft
·
21 sec
·
McColl Street
3
Turn right onto IA 144
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue
4
Turn left onto IA 141
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
5
Continue on IA 141
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Northwest Granger Drive
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
7
Turn left onto US 169
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
N Avenue
8
Continue on US 169
11 mi
·
15 min
·
H Avenue
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
10
Merge onto US 30
13 mi
·
15 min
·
220th Street
11
Continue on US 30
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
230th Street
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Iowa State University
13
Turn left onto University Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
University Boulevard
14
Turn right onto South 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 4th Street
15
Turn left onto South Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Grand Avenue
16
Continue on I 35 Business; US 69
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
17
Turn right onto I 35 Business
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
13th Street
18
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
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 41.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Perry, 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 0 and 38.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
McColl Street
Turn sharp left onto McColl Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
4.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
4
4.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 169 / N Avenue
Turn left onto US 169 / N Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
18 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
38.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward Iowa State University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Iowa State University
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.55 one way
$13.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.19 | $14.38 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.06 | $16.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.25 | $18.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 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 | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.87 | $2.68 |
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
Ames, IA
Late night in Ames on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Boone, IA
21 mi in
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
58m 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 offers a distinctly turn-heavy local drive experience, with no highway travel at all. You'll navigate a series of county roads, including 220th Street, H Avenue, and 230th Street. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 12.8 miles on 220th Street. Prepare for frequent directional changes as you make your way between Perry and Ames. The road character remains consistent, emphasizing local navigation over high-speed transit.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 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?
4/10
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 McColl Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 58m drive. You will face about 9 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 (McColl Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.7 miles (US 169 / N Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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.
Between Perry, IA and Ames, IA, road signs point toward Adel and Iowa State University.
Adel
4.4 mi in
|
~6m
Iowa State University
38.7 mi in
|
~50m
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Founded 1864
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.
Top landmarks
- • Catt Hall — building on Iowa State University's campus, U.S.
- • Food Sciences Building — historic building on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, United S...
- • Ames City Hall — United States historic place
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 58m. Total distance: 41.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m 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 (McColl Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.7 miles (US 169 / N Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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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