Origin
Perry, IA
Evening in Perry on Sunday
Local time
5:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Perry, IA to Des Moines, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
40.6 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Perry, IA
Ron Lach
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Perry, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 40.6 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on McColl Street, 1st Avenue, George P for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.61 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| McColl Street | — | — |
| 1st Avenue | — | — |
| George P | — | — |
| Northwest Granger Drive | — | — |
| Northwest 114th Street | — | — |
| Northeast Grimes Boulevard | — | — |
| Grimes Boulevard | — | — |
| Southeast Grimes Boulevard | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
McColl Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Perry, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Willis Avenue
135 ft
·
10 sec
·
Willis Avenue
2
Turn sharp left onto McColl Street
453 ft
·
22 sec
·
McColl Street
3
Turn right onto 1st Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue
4
Turn left onto George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
5
Continue on Northwest Granger Drive
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Northwest Granger Drive
6
Continue on Northwest 114th Street
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest 114th Street
7
Continue on Northeast Grimes Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
8
Continue on Grimes Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Grimes Boulevard
9
Continue on Southeast Grimes Boulevard
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
10
Continue on Northwest Urbandale Drive
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Northwest Urbandale Drive
11
Turn left onto I-35 north, I-80 east: Minneapolis, Davenport
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
I-35 north, I-80 east: Minneapolis, Davenport
12
Merge slight left
7.3 mi
·
8 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward IA 415: Polk City
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
IA 415: Polk City
14
Turn right onto Northwest 2nd Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
15
Continue on 2nd Avenue
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
2nd Avenue
16
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
University Avenue
17
Continue on East University Avenue
98 ft
·
9 sec
·
East University Avenue
18
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.61 one way
$13.23 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.44 | $7.10 | $14.20 |
| premium | $5.03 | $8.04 | $16.08 |
| diesel | $6.07 | $9.70 | $19.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.68 | $2.60 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Evening in Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
5:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
2 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
44m 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?
40.6 mi in 44m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
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.
Main road: McColl Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Perry, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 44m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Perry, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
980 ft
813 ft
Total Climb
196 ft
Total Descent
286 ft
Highest Point
980 ft
~2.9 mi in
Elevation Range
167 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Perry, IA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Founded 1843
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.
Top landmarks
- • Iowa State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Iowa
- • St. Ambrose Cathedral — church in Iowa, United States
- • Des Moines Art Center — art museum in Des Moines, Iowa
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 44m. Total distance: 40.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m 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
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Perry, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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