Urbandale, IA to Sheldon, IA is 211 miles and takes about 4h 39m via US 20, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, specifically crossing Iowa. With a highway share of 38%, you'll experience a mix of faster driving and more local road cruising. It's a manageable one-day trip, perfect if you're looking for a straightforward drive across the state without extensive planning. Consider this option for a simple point-to-point travel 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
105.5 miles from Urbandale, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
60.9 mi
1h 10m
D Avenue
17.9 mi
24m
Northwest Granger Drive
15.6 mi
18m
Lainson Avenue
12.3 mi
16m
H Avenue
11.6 mi
16m
20th Avenue
9.2 mi
12m
State Highway 3
8.8 mi
12m
IA 60
7.1 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 60.9 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Sheldon, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft·2 sec·Maryland Drive
2
Turn right onto 70th Street
1.2 mi·2 min·70th Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Meredith Drive
2.8 mi·5 min·Meredith Drive
4
Turn right onto Northwest Urbandale Drive
0.7 mi·1 min·Northwest Urbandale Drive
5
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi·3 min·Southeast Grimes Boulevard
6
Continue on IA 141
1.0 mi·1 min·Northeast Grimes Boulevard
7
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi·3 min·Northwest 114th Street
8
Continue on IA 141
16 mi·18 min·Northwest Granger Drive
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
10
Turn right onto US 169
1.8 mi·2 min·N Avenue
11
Continue on US 169
12 mi·16 min·H Avenue
12
Take the exit onto US 169
0.3 mi·37 sec·US 169
13
Merge onto US 30; US 169
4.1 mi·5 min·220th Street
14
Turn right onto US 169
12 mi·16 min·D Avenue
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on US 169
4.0 mi·5 min·Paragon Avenue
16
Turn left onto US 169
4.0 mi·5 min·360th Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto US 169
12 mi·16 min·Lainson Avenue
18
Turn left
0.3 mi·50 sec
Toward US 20 West
19
Merge onto US 20
61 mi·1 hr 10 min·US 20
20
Turn right onto CR M27
6.0 mi·8 min·Armstrong Avenue
21
Continue on CR M27
9.2 mi·12 min·20th Avenue
22
Turn left onto IA 7
1.1 mi·1 min·Highway 7
23
Continue on IA 7
2.1 mi·2 min·State Highway 7
24
Continue on IA 7
1.4 mi·2 min·1st Street
25
Continue on IA 7
1.9 mi·2 min·V Avenue
26
Turn left onto IA 3
0.2 mi·22 sec·State Highway 3
27
Turn straight onto IA 3
3.1 mi·4 min·530th Street
28
Turn right onto IA 3
4.5 mi·6 min·State Highway 3
29
Continue on IA 3
2.5 mi·3 min·500th Street
30
Continue on IA 3
4.2 mi·5 min·State Highway 3
31
Continue on IA 3
5.0 mi·7 min·490th Street
32
Turn right onto IA 143
1.3 mi·2 min·Ames Avenue
33
Continue on IA 143
5.7 mi·7 min·D Avenue
34
Continue on IA 143
5.0 mi·6 min·Nettle Avenue
35
Turn left onto IA 10
3.5 mi·4 min·460th Street
36
Continue on IA 10
0.5 mi·1 min·Garfield Street
37
Continue on IA 10
1.0 mi·1 min·460th Street
38
Turn right onto L22
5.5 mi·7 min·Log Avenue
39
Turn right onto IA 60
7.1 mi·8 min·IA 60
40
Take the exit onto IA 60 Business
0.3 mi·43 sec·IA 60 Business
Toward CR L26, IA 60 Business: 2nd Avenue
41
Turn left onto IA 60 Business
1.5 mi·2 min·2nd Avenue
42
Turn right onto 9th Street
25 ft·0 sec·9th Street
43
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Trip Plan
For this 4h 39m drive, consider departing Urbandale in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for a relaxed pace. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in how you break up the 211 miles. The longest stretch on US 20 is over 60 miles, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before entering these longer segments. Keep your fuel budget around $33 for this trip. Since it's a single-day drive, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
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 105.5 miles from Urbandale, IA, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.9 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 46 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.5 miles or 2h 20m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sheldon, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, IA
This is one driving day of about 211 miles and 4h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Urbandale, 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 US 20 for about 60.9 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 60.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|Meredith Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Meredith Drive
Navigation decision point
5
26.5 mi into trip|~36m in
Take the exit toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
5
40.3 mi into trip|~55m in|US 169
Take the exit onto US 169
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
44.7 mi into trip|~1h 2m in|US 169 / D Avenue
Turn right onto US 169 / D Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
60.8 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|US 169 / 360th Street
Turn left onto US 169 / 360th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.20 one way
$70.39 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$38.25
$76.51
premium
$5.26
$43.69
$87.37
diesel
$6.18
$51.33
$102.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.3
0
$22.16
$10.13
Efficient EV
52.8
0
$18.46
$8.44
EV Truck/SUV
84.4
1
$29.54
$13.50
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Urbandale, IA
Morning
in Urbandale on Tuesday
Local time
6:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 2 to 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Sheldon, IA
Morning
in Sheldon on Tuesday
Local time
6:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 5 to 10 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 39m 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?
You'll spend 38% of your 211 miles on highways, meaning a good portion of this drive involves surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on US 20 spans 60.9 miles, offering a period of consistent cruising. Expect the transition from highway to surface roads to occur at various points, indicated by D Avenue and Northwest Granger Drive. Given the mixed profile, you'll notice a change in speed and surroundings as you move between these road types.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
43 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.9 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near Meredith Drive.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 211 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 26.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.3 miles (US 169): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,464 ft894 ft
Total Climb
711 ft
Total Descent
229 ft
Highest Point
1,464 ft
~180.9 mi in
Elevation Range
570 ft
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 Urbandale, IA to Sheldon, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Adel along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 39m. Total distance: 211 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 60.9 miles on US 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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: at 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 26.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.3 miles (US 169): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Sheldon, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
