Sioux City, IA to Waukon, IA is 306 miles and takes about 6h 24m via 220th Street and Highway 20, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, making it a straightforward drive through the Midwest. You'll spend most of your time on surface roads, so expect a more relaxed pace compared to interstate travel. With just one recommended stop and a drive time under seven hours, this route is easily manageable in a single day.
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
153 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
148.1 mi
2h 50m
Highway 20
39.4 mi
47m
Larrabee Avenue
22.8 mi
26m
Harding Road
16.9 mi
23m
230th Street
13 mi
17m
270th Street
10.9 mi
14m
State Highway 51
10.6 mi
15m
United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
10m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 148.1 mi, about 2h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Waukon, 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
148 mi·2 hr 50 min·220th Street
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward CR D18: Cedar Falls
13
Turn left onto Grundy Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Grundy Road
14
Continue on University Avenue
3.5 mi·4 min·University Avenue
15
Enter roundabout onto Greenhill Road
8 ft·0 sec·Greenhill Road
16
Continue on Greenhill Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Greenhill Road
17
Turn left onto IA 27; IA 58
2.7 mi·3 min·Avenue of the Saints
18
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 185Toward US 218 South: WaterlooUse the slight right lane.
19
Merge onto US 218
0.7 mi·48 sec·Leo P Rooff Expressway
20
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward Broadway Street: Airport
21
Turn left onto Airport Boulevard
0.3 mi·35 sec·Airport Boulevard
22
Turn right onto West Airline Highway
3.0 mi·5 min·West Airline Highway
23
Turn left onto US 63
6.9 mi·8 min·Logan Avenue
24
Continue on US 63
23 mi·26 min·Larrabee Avenue
25
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
26
At end of road, turn left onto US 18
5.4 mi·7 min·270th Street
27
Continue on US 18
0.9 mi·1 min·West Main Street
28
Continue on US 18
5.5 mi·7 min·270th Street
29
Continue on US 18
13 mi·17 min·230th Street
30
Continue on US 18
1.3 mi·1 min·West Bradford Street
31
Continue on US 18
17 mi·23 min·Harding Road
32
Turn left onto IA 51
0.3 mi·27 sec·North Lawler Street
33
Continue on IA 51
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 51
34
Turn right onto IA 9
4.7 mi·7 min·State Highway 9
35
Turn left onto IA 9; IA 76
2.0 mi·3 min·Rossville Road
36
Turn right onto IA 9
56 ft·6 sec·West Main Street
37
Turn left onto IA 9
50 ft·0 sec·Allamakee Street Northwest
38
Arrive at destination
IA 9
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 24m estimated drive time, leaving Sioux City in the morning will allow you to reach Waukon with plenty of daylight to spare. You'll only need about one stop, so plan it strategically for a meal or to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer stretches on 220th Street where services might be less frequent. The $49 fuel cost is an estimate, so it's always wise to have a buffer.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 153 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 3h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 148.1 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 67 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 153 miles or 3h 4m 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 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukon, 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 306 miles and 6h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 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 148.1 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 306 — 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
5
206.1 mi into trip|~4h 7m in|Greenhill Road
Enter roundabout onto Greenhill Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
210.1 mi into trip|~4h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 218 South: Waterloo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 185
Toward US 218 South: Waterloo
5
306 mi into trip|~6h 24m in|IA 9 / Allamakee Street Northwest
Turn left onto IA 9 / Allamakee Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.44 one way
$94.88 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg107 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$52.02
$104.04
premium
$4.93
$59.37
$118.74
diesel
$5.60
$67.45
$134.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.8
1
$32.13
$14.69
Efficient EV
76.5
0
$26.78
$12.24
EV Truck/SUV
122.4
1
$42.84
$19.58
Gas CO2
107 kg
EV CO2
36 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 Aug 22, 2026
Origin
Sioux City, IA
Late night
in Sioux City on Wednesday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
NNW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Waukon, IA
Late night
in Waukon on Wednesday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
NW 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
6 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
6h 24m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Effigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings o...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 306
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on surface roads, accounting for 79% of the total mileage. You'll encounter Highway 20 for about 21% of the trip, offering a change of pace before you transition back to local routes. The longest continuous stretch you'll cover is 148.1 miles on 220th Street. Expect a rural cruising feel for the majority of this journey.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
38 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 148.1 mi on 220th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 24m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 21 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
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 206.1 miles (Greenhill Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,431 ft951 ft
Total Climb
321 ft
Total Descent
481 ft
Highest Point
1,431 ft
~43.7 mi in
Elevation Range
481 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sioux City, IA and Waukon, IA, road signs point toward Cr D18: Cedar Falls and Broadway Street: Airport.
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 6h 24m. Total distance: 306 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 24m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 148.1 miles on 220th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Waukon, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 206.1 miles (Greenhill Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Effigy Mounds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Waukon, IA before the return drive.
