Sioux City to Parkersburg is 198.7 miles and takes about 4h 1m via Highway 20, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, connecting two points in the Midwest. The profile is mostly surface roads, suggesting a more scenic and potentially slower pace than a pure interstate drive. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure time.
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
99.3 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
136 mi
2h 36m
Highway 20
39.4 mi
47m
United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
10m
N Avenue
6.5 mi
9m
Gordon Drive
3.4 mi
6m
6th Street
2.3 mi
4m
State Highway 14
1 mi
1m
Fairmount Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 136 mi, about 2h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Parkersburg, 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
136 mi·2 hr 36 min·220th Street
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward IA 14: Parkersburg, Grundy Center
13
Turn left onto IA 14
6.5 mi·9 min·N Avenue
14
Continue on IA 14
1.0 mi·1 min·State Highway 14
15
Turn left onto IA 14; IA 57
1.4 mi·2 min·6th Street
16
Turn right onto Coates Street
0.2 mi·52 sec·Coates Street
17
Turn left
61 ft·4 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Consider an early morning departure from Sioux City to maximize your daylight hours and allow for an unhurried arrival in Parkersburg. With only one recommended stop and a total distance under 200 miles, flexibility is key; you can adjust your timing based on your preference. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the longer stretches on surface roads where services might be more spread out. The estimated fuel cost of $30 provides a good budget reference for this drive.
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 99.3 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 136 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 44 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.3 miles or 2h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Parkersburg, 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 198.7 miles and 4h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 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 136 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 198.7 — 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
5
189.1 mi into trip|~3h 46m in
Take the exit toward IA 14: Parkersburg, Grundy Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 14: Parkersburg, Grundy Center
5
198.7 mi into trip|~4h 1m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.15 one way
$66.29 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$36.02
$72.05
premium
$5.26
$41.14
$82.28
diesel
$6.18
$48.34
$96.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.6
0
$20.86
$9.54
Efficient EV
49.7
0
$17.39
$7.95
EV Truck/SUV
79.5
0
$27.82
$12.72
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Sioux City, IA
Morning
in Sioux City on Monday
Local time
8:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
S 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Parkersburg, IA
Morning
in Parkersburg on Monday
Local time
8:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Clear
S 12 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
2 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
4h 1m 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?
This route involves a significant portion on surface roads, with highways accounting for about 25% of the drive. You'll experience a long stretch of 136 miles on 220nd Street, which likely means consistent, rural cruising without frequent interchanges. After the highway segments, expect to transition to surface roads for the majority of your travel, offering a different driving experience. The longest continuous stretch on a single road suggests a straightforward path with minimal navigation changes.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 136 mi on 220th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 1m 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.
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
The longest stretch is about 136 miles on 220th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Parkersburg, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
