Sioux City, IA to Marengo, IA is 265.1 miles and takes about 5h 21m via US 30, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, entirely within Iowa, so you'll experience a consistent regional feel. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that's well-suited for a single-day excursion. With just one recommended stop and a clear route, this is a practical option if you need to cover ground efficiently within the state.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
132.5 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
93.4 mi
1h 47m
US 30
66.3 mi
1h 16m
Highway 20
39.4 mi
47m
I 35
30.4 mi
32m
IA 212
11.7 mi
17m
United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
10m
IA 21
5.2 mi
7m
Gordon Drive
3.4 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 93.4 mi, about 1h 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Marengo, 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
93 mi·1 hr 47 min·220th Street
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
13
Merge onto I 35
30 mi·32 min·I 35
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·42 sec
Toward US 30 East: Nevada
15
Merge onto US 30
66 mi·1 hr 16 min·US 30
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
17
Turn right onto IA 21
5.2 mi·7 min·IA 21
18
Turn right onto IA 21
0.8 mi·1 min·7th Avenue
19
Continue on IA 21
1.5 mi·2 min·11th Avenue
20
Continue on IA 21
1.1 mi·1 min·State Highway 21
21
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 212
12 mi·17 min·IA 212
22
Turn left onto Western Avenue
287 ft·14 sec·Western Avenue
23
Turn right onto West Marion Street
0.2 mi·47 sec·West Marion Street
24
Turn left
135 ft·10 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 21m estimated duration, leaving Sioux City in the morning should get you to Marengo with plenty of daylight to spare. The drive is designed for a single day, so you won't need to plan for an overnight stay. With a fuel cost estimate of $47, budget accordingly. Keep an eye out for the 93.4-mile stretch on 220th Street; this is your longest segment on non-highway roads and might be where you'll want to plan your single stop for a break or refueling. The flexibility of a one-day trip means you can adjust your departure time based on weather or your personal schedule.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 132.5 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 93.4 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 58 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 132.5 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marengo, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sioux City, IA
This is one driving day of about 265.1 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Sioux City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on 220th Street for about 93.4 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 264.9 — 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
5
264.9 mi into trip|~5h 20m in|West Marion Street
Turn right onto West Marion Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.08 one way
$88.15 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$48.01
$96.02
premium
$5.18
$54.10
$108.19
diesel
$5.35
$55.84
$111.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.5
0
$27.84
$12.72
Efficient EV
66.3
0
$23.20
$10.60
EV Truck/SUV
106
1
$37.11
$16.97
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 1, 2026
Origin
Sioux City, IA
Afternoon
in Sioux City on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Marengo, IA
Afternoon
in Marengo on Wednesday
Local time
2:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 mph13% chanceLive forecast
88°F
Gilbert, IA
133 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 21m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 61% of this 265.1-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on surface roads is 93.4 miles along 220th Street, which will likely involve more rural cruising. Expect the highway portion to feel more like consistent travel with fewer interruptions. As you transition to US 30 and Highway 20, you'll notice more of a typical interstate feel for a significant portion of your travel.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 93.4 mi on 220th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on 220th Street and US 30. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 265.1 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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.
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 5h 21m. Total distance: 265.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 93.4 miles on 220th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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 Marengo, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 8 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 0.4 miles (7th Street): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Marengo, IA before the return drive.
