Origin
Thornton, IA
Morning in Thornton on Tuesday
Local time
10:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thornton, IA to Ventura, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
22.5 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thornton, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ventura, IA
Arturo Añez.
Trip Overview
Thornton to Ventura is 22.5 miles and takes about 30 minutes via I 35 and US 18, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa's Midwest region, offering a straightforward drive. It's perfect for a quick hop between two points without much fuss. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it an efficient journey. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B quickly and don't require extensive sightseeing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 12.7 mi | 13m |
| US 18 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| 125th Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| 4th Avenue South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| South 8th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Larch Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 12.7 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thornton, IA and Ventura, IA.
1
Start on 5th Street North
90 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Street North
2
Turn left onto Larch Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Larch Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto 1st Street South
227 ft
·
11 sec
·
1st Street South
4
Turn left onto Ash Street East
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Ash Street East
5
Continue on CR B65
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
125th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
7
Merge onto I 35
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 35
8
Take the exit onto I 35 Business
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward I 35 Business, CR B35: Clear Lake, Mason City
9
Turn left onto I 35 Business
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue South
10
Turn right onto I 35 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 8th Street
11
Turn left onto US 18
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
US 18
12
Turn left onto CR S14
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 15 — 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
|
Larch Street
Turn left onto Larch Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street South
At end of road, turn right onto 1st Street South
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ash Street East
Turn left onto Ash Street East
Navigation decision point
4
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
15 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 35 Business
Take the exit onto I 35 Business toward I 35 Business, CR B35: Clear Lake, Mason City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 Business, CR B35: Clear Lake, Mason...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.52 one way
$7.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.86 | $7.72 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.33 | $8.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.97 | $9.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.36 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Destination
Ventura, IA
Morning in Ventura on Tuesday
Local time
10:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
30m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of the route utilizing major roads like I 35 and US 18. You'll experience a consistent pace for much of the 30-minute journey. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 12.7 miles on I 35. While it's a highway-centric experience, the transition to roads like 125th Street near your destination will offer a slight change of scenery. Expect a functional and direct driving experience for the majority of this trip.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.7 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 18. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Larch Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 10 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 (Larch Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (1st Street South): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Ash Street East): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Thornton, IA and Ventura, IA, road signs point toward Cr B35: Clear Lake and Mason City.
Cr B35: Clear Lake
15 mi in
|
~19m
|
via I 35 Business
Mason City
15 mi in
|
~19m
|
via I 35 Business
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 22.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.7 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Larch Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (1st Street South): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Ash Street East): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ventura, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
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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