Sioux City to Clinton is 348.7 miles and takes about 7h 2m via US 30 and Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest's rolling terrain. Expect a mix of highway driving and surface roads, offering a straightforward path across the state. It's a solid choice if you're looking for a direct, single-day transit between these two points without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
174.3 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 29m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
165.9 mi
3h 11m
US 30
76.3 mi
1h 38m
Avenue of the Saints
48.5 mi
53m
Highway 20
39.4 mi
47m
United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
10m
Gordon Drive
3.4 mi
6m
Manufacturing Drive
1.6 mi
2m
South Bluff Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 165.9 mi, about 3h 11m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,803 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,227
Quietest
2 AM
~95 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Clinton, 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
39 mi·47 min·Highway 20
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on US 20
8.3 mi·10 min·United States Highway 20
11
Continue on US 20
166 mi·3 hr 11 min·220th Street
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
48 mi·53 min·Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi·17 sec
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward US 30 East, US 151 North: Mount Vernon
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward US 30 East, US 151 North: Mount Vernon
16
Merge onto US 30; US 151
58 mi·1 hr 15 min·US 30; US 151
17
Take the exit onto US 30
1.5 mi·1 min·US 30
18
Take the exit onto US 30
17 mi·21 min·US 30
19
Turn left onto Manufacturing Drive
1.6 mi·2 min·Manufacturing Drive
20
Continue on South Bluff Boulevard
1.4 mi·2 min·South Bluff Boulevard
21
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue South
0.9 mi·2 min·2nd Avenue South
22
Arrive at destination
2nd Avenue South
Trip Plan
Given the 7-hour estimated drive time, starting your day in Sioux City by 9 AM should get you to Clinton with plenty of daylight to spare. You'll make about two stops along the way, so plan for brief breaks to refuel and stretch. The longest stretch of surface road is over 165 miles, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you transition off the main highways. This route is best tackled in a single day, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace, consider an overnight stop around the halfway point.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 174.3 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 3h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 165.9 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 77 miles or 1h 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 174.3 miles or 3h 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clinton, 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.
+
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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sioux City, IA
This is one driving day of about 348.7 miles and 7h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 miles from Sioux City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on 220th Street for about 165.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 268.2 — 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
6
219 mi into trip|~4h 20m in|I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
6
267.6 mi into trip|~5h 14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 30 East, US 151 North: Mount Vernon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 East, US 151 North: Mount Vernon
6
268.2 mi into trip|~5h 16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 30 East, US 151 North: Mount Vernon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 East, US 151 North: Mount Vernon
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.97 one way
$115.95 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg122 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$63.15
$126.30
premium
$5.18
$71.15
$142.31
diesel
$5.35
$73.45
$146.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$58
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 122 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
104.6
1
$36.61
$16.74
Efficient EV
87.2
0
$30.51
$13.95
EV Truck/SUV
139.5
1
$48.82
$22.32
Gas CO2
122 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Sioux City, IA
Afternoon
in Sioux City on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Clinton, IA
Afternoon
in Clinton on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
E 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive 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
31 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
7h 2m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 36% of this drive on highways, with the remaining 64% on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on surface roads is 165.9 miles along 220nd Street, so be prepared for more varied speed limits and potential intersections. You'll notice a distinct shift from more open highway cruising to navigating through towns and rural landscapes.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 165.9 mi on 220th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 348.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway 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 219 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Top landmarks
•Sergeant Floyd — museum boat in Sioux City, Iowa, United States
•Woodbury County Courthouse — county courthouse in Sioux City, United States of America
•St. Boniface Catholic Church — church building in Sioux City, United States of America
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 2m. Total distance: 348.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 2m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 165.9 miles on 220th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Clinton, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 219 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.0 hours each way, a round trip means 14.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Clinton, IA before the return drive.
