Origin
Urbandale, IA
Late night in Urbandale on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Urbandale, IA to Carlisle, 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
31m
Distance
20.4 mi
33 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Carlisle, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
Urbandale to Carlisle is 20.4 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically Iowa, making it a straightforward local journey. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a same-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll primarily navigate local roads with a brief stint on IA 5, so expect a straightforward commute rather than an epic adventure. Plan for a quick transition between these two Iowa communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| Southwest 63rd Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| IA 5 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| State Highway 28 | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| 73rd Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| 8th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 72nd Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
— 8.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Carlisle, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
5 sec
·
Maryland Drive
2
Turn left onto 70th Street
348 ft
·
9 sec
·
70th Street
3
Turn right onto Roseland Drive
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Roseland Drive
4
Turn left onto 72nd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
72nd Street
5
Turn straight onto 73rd Street
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
73rd Street
6
Continue on 8th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
8th Street
7
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Grand Avenue
8
Turn right onto IA 28
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
63rd Street;1st Street
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on IA 28
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
10
Continue on IA 28
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 28
11
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
12
Merge onto IA 5
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit onto IA 5
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
IA 5
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
14
Turn left onto South 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South 5th Street
15
Arrive at destination
North 5th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.5 — 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
|
70th Street
Turn left onto 70th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Roseland Drive
Turn right onto Roseland Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
72nd Street
Turn left onto 72nd Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
IA 28 / 63rd Street;1st Street
Turn right onto IA 28 / 63rd Street;1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Merge onto IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.19 one way
$6.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.50 | $7.00 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.93 | $7.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Carlisle, IA
Late night in Carlisle on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
31m 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 route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with only a 23% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway and Southwest 63rd Street, navigating through local traffic and intersections. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.1 miles on Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you resume more frequent turns. Expect a dynamic driving experience that demands attention to local road conditions and traffic signals.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway.
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 70th 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 31m drive. You will face about 8 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 (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Roseland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (72nd Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 20.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. 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 (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Roseland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (72nd Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carlisle, 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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