Tripoli, IA to Indiana, IA is 152.1 miles and takes about 3h 37m via State Highway 14 and I 80, with a fuel budget near $24 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, offering a straightforward trip across Iowa. You'll experience a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel, making it a manageable drive for a single day. The total duration is just under four hours, so planning for a single-day excursion is straightforward.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76 miles from Tripoli, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 14
23.5 mi
34m
J Avenue
18 mi
26m
I 80
17.7 mi
18m
Larrabee Avenue
11.3 mi
12m
Sergeant Road
9.4 mi
14m
Logan Avenue
8.7 mi
11m
100th Street
8 mi
12m
North Main Street
7.6 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 14
— 23.5 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tripoli, IA and Indiana, IA.
1
Start on IA 93
0.4 mi·37 sec·South Main Street
2
Turn right onto IA 93
0.5 mi·45 sec·7th Avenue Southwest
3
Continue on IA 93
3.5 mi·5 min·170th Street
4
Turn left onto US 63
11 mi·12 min·Larrabee Avenue
5
Continue on US 63
8.7 mi·11 min·Logan Avenue
6
Continue on US 63
1.5 mi·3 min·East Mullan Avenue
7
Turn straight onto US 63
0.4 mi·56 sec·US 63
8
Turn left onto US 63
9.4 mi·14 min·Sergeant Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on US 63
6.4 mi·8 min·South Hudson Road
10
Continue on US 63
2.5 mi·3 min·Q Avenue
11
Continue on US 63
4.4 mi·5 min·County Road D65
12
Continue on US 63
7.6 mi·11 min·North Main Street
13
Turn left onto US 63
12 mi·17 min·J Avenue
14
Continue on US 63
1.8 mi·2 min·North County Road
15
Continue on US 63
0.4 mi·43 sec·Harding Street
16
Turn left onto US 63
0.3 mi·24 sec·West 13th Street
17
Turn right onto US 63
1.5 mi·2 min·State Street
18
Continue on US 63
6.3 mi·9 min·J Avenue
19
Continue on US 63
8.0 mi·12 min·100th Street
20
Turn right onto US 6
5.5 mi·7 min·380th Avenue
21
Continue on US 6
0.6 mi·58 sec·6th Avenue
22
Turn left onto Penrose Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·Penrose Street
23
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·4th Avenue
24
Turn left onto IA 146
3.2 mi·5 min·West Street
25
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
26
Merge onto I 80
18 mi·18 min·I 80
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward US 6, IA 14: Newton, Monroe
28
Turn left onto State Highway 14
11 mi·16 min·State Highway 14
29
Continue on IA 14
1.0 mi·1 min·Monroe Street
30
Continue on IA 14
13 mi·18 min·State Highway 14
31
Continue on IA 14
2.3 mi·3 min·North Lincoln Street
32
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
33
Merge onto IA 5; IA 92
1.2 mi·1 min·IA 5; IA 92
34
Take the exit onto IA 5
0.5 mi·1 min·IA 5
35
Turn right onto IA 5
5.8 mi·8 min·IA 5
36
Turn sharp right onto CR G76
0.2 mi·24 sec·County Highway G76
37
Continue on CR G76
1.9 mi·3 min·County Highway G76
38
Arrive at destination
CR G76
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 37m estimated drive time, starting in the morning allows ample flexibility. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $24, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. The longest stretch on State Highway 14 is 23.5 miles, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge before embarking on that segment. Since this is a relatively short drive, you have the advantage of being able to adjust your schedule as needed.
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 76 miles from Tripoli, IA, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.5 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 33 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76 miles or 1h 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Indiana, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tripoli, 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 Tripoli, IA
This is one driving day of about 152.1 miles and 3h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Tripoli, 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 State Highway 14 for about 23.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway reset
4.5 mi from route
~11 min detour
$10 to $20
Tama, Iowa
Hours: 11 am–1:45 pm
+16414817332
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 150 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|IA 93 / 7th Avenue Southwest
Turn right onto IA 93 / 7th Avenue Southwest
Navigation decision point
4
26.3 mi into trip|~35m in|US 63 / Sergeant Road
Turn left onto US 63 / Sergeant Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
56.5 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|US 63 / J Avenue
Turn left onto US 63 / J Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
115 mi into trip|~2h 40m in
Take the exit toward US 6, IA 14: Newton, Monroe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6, IA 14: Newton, Monroe
5
150 mi into trip|~3h 33m in|CR G76 / County Highway G76
Turn sharp right onto CR G76 / County Highway G76
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.78 one way
$47.56 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$26.11
$52.22
premium
$4.89
$29.27
$58.54
diesel
$5.61
$33.58
$67.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.6
0
$15.97
$7.30
Efficient EV
38
0
$13.31
$6.08
EV Truck/SUV
60.8
0
$21.29
$9.73
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Tripoli, IA
Morning
in Tripoli on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
28°F
Mostly Clear
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 4:07AM CDT until April 20 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 2:15AM CDT until April 20 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Indiana, IA
Morning
in Indiana on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
32°F
Clear
E 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 4:07AM CDT until April 20 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 2:15AM CDT until April 20 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
4 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
3h 37m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 drive features 32% highway travel, with the remaining distance on surface roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 23.5 miles on State Highway 14 before transitioning to other road types. Expect a mix of rural cruising and the occasional need to navigate highway merging. The route is primarily composed of State Highway 14 and I 80.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
38 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.5 mi on State Highway 14.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IA 93 / 7th Avenue Southwest.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 37m drive. You will face about 19 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (IA 93 / 7th Avenue Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 26.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles (US 63 / J Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tripoli, IA to Indiana, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Monroe along the way.
Monroe
115 mi in|~2h 40m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 37m. Total distance: 152.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 23.5 miles on State Highway 14. 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.
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: at 0.4 miles (IA 93 / 7th Avenue Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 26.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles (US 63 / J Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Indiana, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
