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Trip from Sioux City, IA to Alta, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 35m

Distance

68.7 mi

111 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 28m ★
6 AM
1h 35m
8 AM
1h 50m
10 AM
1h 41m
12 PM
1h 39m
3 PM
1h 41m
5 PM
1h 49m
8 PM
1h 31m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city ​​in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in Iowa, United States

Sioux City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Alta, IA, IA

Alta, IA

Tara Winstead

Trip Overview

Sioux City, IA to Alta, IA is 68.7 miles and takes about 1h 35m via Highway 20 and State Highway 31, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, straightforward journey keeps you within the familiar Midwest region, specifically Iowa for both your departure and arrival. It's a practical route, primarily highway-focused, making it ideal for a quick trip with minimal fuss. If you're looking for an easy drive to cover ground efficiently, this route fits the bill.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

34.4 miles from Sioux City, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Highway 20 27.2 mi 32m
610th Street 13.4 mi 18m
State Highway 31 13 mi 18m
Highway 7 4.4 mi 6m
20th Avenue 4.2 mi 5m
Gordon Drive 3.4 mi 6m
Lincoln Street 1 mi 1m
6th Street 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Highway 20 — 27.2 mi, about 32m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Alta, IA.

1

Start on this road

115 ft · 13 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto 9th Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · 9th Street
3

Turn right onto Court Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Court Street
4

Turn left onto 7th Street

399 ft · 19 sec · 7th Street
5

Turn right onto Iowa Street

423 ft · 23 sec · Iowa Street
6

Turn left onto 6th Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · 6th Street
7

Continue on Fairmount Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Fairmount Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
8

Turn left onto US 20 Business

3.4 mi · 6 min · Gordon Drive
Use the left lane.
9

Continue on US 20

27 mi · 32 min · Highway 20
Use the right lane.
10

Turn left onto IA 31

7.4 mi · 10 min · State Highway 31
11

Continue on IA 31

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Street
12

Continue on IA 31

5.6 mi · 7 min · State Highway 31
13

Continue on IA 31

13 mi · 18 min · 610th Street
14

Turn left onto CR M27

4.2 mi · 5 min · 20th Avenue
15

Turn right onto IA 7

4.4 mi · 6 min · Highway 7
16

Turn left onto 60th Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · 60th Avenue
17

Arrive at destination

60th Avenue

Trip Plan

Given the short duration of just over 1.5 hours, this is an easy same-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. You won't need to plan for extensive stops, but keep in mind the longest stretch without a significant change is 27.2 miles on Highway 20, so a quick break beforehand might be wise. With a fuel cost estimated around $11, it's an economical drive. A good tip for this route is to ensure you're fueled up before leaving Sioux City, as convenient services might be more spread out once you're on the highway stretches.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 34.4 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 15 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 34.4 miles or 46m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 20m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alta, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sioux City, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Sioux City, IA

This is one driving day of about 68.7 miles and 1h 35m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Sioux City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Highway 20 for about 27.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Holstein, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Holstein, IA

34 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

Lawton, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Holstein, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 34.4 miles from Sioux City, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

La Isla

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

South Sioux City, Nebraska

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30

Hours: 10 am–9 pm

+14024048022

Visit website

La Isla

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30

South Sioux City, Nebraska

Hours: 10 am–9 pm

+14024048022

Visit website

Shell Recharge Charging Station

2.8 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour

Sioux City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18006360986

Visit website

ChargeLab Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 19.6

Moville, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18006360986

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 4.9

Sioux City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 4.9

Sioux City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

EV Connect Charging Station

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 4.9

Sioux City, Iowa

+18668167584

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour

Sioux City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

South Sioux City, Nebraska

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Near the start, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 4.9

Sioux City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 1.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 9th Street

Turn left onto 9th Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Court Street

Turn right onto Court Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | 7th Street

Turn left onto 7th Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | Iowa Street

Turn right onto Iowa Street

Navigation decision point

4
1.9 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 20 Business / Gordon Drive

Turn left onto US 20 Business / Gordon Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.74 one way

$21.48 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $11.79 $23.59
premium $4.89 $13.22 $26.44
diesel $5.61 $15.17 $30.34

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 24 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.6 0 $7.21 $3.30
Efficient EV 17.2 0 $6.01 $2.75
EV Truck/SUV 27.5 0 $9.62 $4.40

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Sioux City, IA

Night in Sioux City on Saturday

Local time

11:24 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Alta, IA

Night in Alta on Saturday

Local time

11:24 PM

CDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 35m 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 trip is largely highway-focused, with about 65% of the drive utilizing main roads like Highway 20 and State Highway 31. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 27.2 miles on Highway 20, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. The route transitions from Highway 20 to local roads like 610th Street before rejoining State Highway 31, providing a slight change of scenery and driving experience. Expect a practical, no-frills drive that prioritizes direct travel over extensive scenic detours.

65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.2 mi on Highway 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 20 and 610th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th 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 1h 35m drive. You will face about 10 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 (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (7th Street): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Starting in Sioux City, IA

Full guide →

Sioux City is on the western edge of the state of Iowa. It is on the Missouri River and many parts of Sioux City are among the unique Loess Hills formations.

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 35m. Total distance: 68.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (65%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 27.2 miles on Highway 20. 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 (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (7th Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Alta, 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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