Origin
Sioux City, IA
Night in Sioux City on Saturday
Local time
9:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 33m
Distance
172 mi
277 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sioux City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Belmond, IA
Uiliam Nörnberg
This 172-mile drive from Sioux City, IA to Belmond, IA is a straightforward, one-day trip, estimated to take about 3 hours and 33 minutes. With a projected fuel cost of $27, it's an economical journey through the Midwest. The route primarily utilizes local roads and Highway 20, with a relatively low highway share of 32%. This drive is well-suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without needing an overnight stop. You'll experience a mixed driving profile, making it an engaging, yet not overly demanding, excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 47m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 220th Street | 90.6 mi | 1h 44m |
| Highway 20 | 39.4 mi | 47m |
| Little Wall Lake Road | 19.7 mi | 26m |
| United States Highway 20 | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| US 69 | 8 mi | 11m |
| Gordon Drive | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| 6th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Fairmount Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Belmond, IA.
Start on this road
Turn left onto 9th Street
Turn right onto Court Street
Turn left onto 7th Street
Turn right onto Iowa Street
Turn left onto 6th Street
Continue on Fairmount Street
Turn left onto US 20 Business
Continue on US 20
Continue on US 20
Continue on US 20
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 69
Turn right onto US 69; IA 3
Turn straight onto US 69; IA 3
Turn right onto East Main Street
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue Northeast
Arrive at destination
For this 172-mile journey, you can easily complete the drive in a single day. Consider an early morning departure from Sioux City to maximize daylight and allow for a leisurely pace, especially given the longest stretch of 90.6 miles. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility to decide when and where you'd like to take a break. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the $27 estimated cost is based on the full trip, and it's always wise to refuel before embarking on longer, less populated stretches like the one on 220th Street.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 38 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Belmond, IA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Sioux City, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sioux City, IA
This is one driving day of about 172 miles and 3h 33m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
86 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.
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 86 miles from Sioux City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before 220th Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 90.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 171.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Court Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 7th Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Iowa Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue Northeast
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$26.89 one way
$53.78 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $29.52 | $59.05 |
| premium | $4.89 | $33.10 | $66.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $37.98 | $75.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 51.6 | 0 | $18.06 | $8.26 |
| Efficient EV | 43 | 0 | $15.05 | $6.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 68.8 | 0 | $24.08 | $11.01 |
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Sioux City on Saturday
Local time
9:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Destination
Night in Belmond on Saturday
Local time
9:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a mixed drive on this route, which features 32% highway travel. The majority of your time will be spent on local roads, including 220th Street and Little Wall Lake Road, interspersed with stretches of Highway 20. The longest uninterrupted driving segment is 90.6 miles on 220th Street, offering a substantial period of consistent travel before any significant turns. This road character suggests a varied experience, moving from potentially faster highway sections to more local, perhaps slower, pacing on the county roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 33m drive. You will face about 11 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.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 33m. Total distance: 172 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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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