This 135.1-mile journey from Waterloo to Bloomfield, Iowa, is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 11 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be navigating on State Highway 21 and US 63, with a significant portion of the drive on these main roads. With a fuel cost estimated at $21, this is an economical option for exploring more of the Midwest. The route offers a mixed driving experience, making it a pleasant way to connect these two Iowa communities without feeling overly monotonous. Consider this drive for a straightforward transition across the state.
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
67.6 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 21
24.9 mi
36m
Holsted Street
20.3 mi
29m
US 63
17.6 mi
20m
220th Street
13.6 mi
20m
Hawkeye Road
11 mi
16m
Highway 21
10 mi
13m
State Highway 149
10 mi
14m
B Avenue
5.8 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 21
— 24.9 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Bloomfield, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft·6 sec·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.5 mi·56 sec·Washington Street
3
Turn right onto West 11th Street
1.3 mi·2 min·West 11th Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto East Ridgeway Avenue
0.1 mi·23 sec·East Ridgeway Avenue
5
Turn sharp left onto Hammond Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·Hammond Avenue
6
Turn right onto East San Marnan Drive
0.5 mi·58 sec·East San Marnan Drive
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto Hawkeye Road
11 mi·16 min·Hawkeye Road
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on IA 21
8.0 mi·12 min·State Highway 21
9
At end of road, turn left onto IA 8; IA 21
2.5 mi·3 min·58th Street
10
Turn right onto IA 21
20 mi·29 min·Holsted Street
11
Turn right onto IA 21
0.8 mi·1 min·7th Avenue
12
Continue on IA 21
1.5 mi·2 min·11th Avenue
13
Continue on IA 21
1.1 mi·1 min·State Highway 21
14
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 21
1.4 mi·2 min·State Highway 21
15
Continue on IA 21
5.8 mi·8 min·B Avenue
16
Turn right onto US 6
4.2 mi·5 min·US 6
17
Turn left onto IA 21
11 mi·15 min·220th Street
18
Continue on IA 21
2.7 mi·4 min·State Highway 21
19
Continue on IA 21
3.0 mi·4 min·220th Street
20
Continue on IA 21
7.0 mi·10 min·State Highway 21
21
Continue on IA 21
1.5 mi·2 min·North Barnes Street
22
Continue on IA 21
4.7 mi·6 min·State Highway 21
23
Continue on IA 21
1.1 mi·1 min·North Center Street
24
Continue on IA 21
10 mi·13 min·Highway 21
25
Turn right onto IA 149
4.0 mi·5 min·State Highway 149
26
At end of road, turn left onto IA 149
6.0 mi·8 min·State Highway 149
27
Continue on US 63 Business; IA 149
2.6 mi·3 min·Old US Highway 63
28
Continue on US 63 Business; IA 149
2.8 mi·3 min·South Wapello Street
29
Turn left onto US 34; US 63 Business
1.4 mi·1 min·US 34; US 63 Business
30
Enter roundabout onto US 63
108 ft·1 sec·US 63
31
Continue on US 63
18 mi·20 min·US 63
32
Turn right onto East Jefferson Street
341 ft·6 sec·East Jefferson Street
33
Arrive at destination
East Jefferson Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour duration, this trip is easily completed in a single day, offering flexibility for your departure time. It's wise to plan for one stop to break up the 135.1 miles, perhaps around the halfway point. With a fuel cost around $21, keeping your tank topped up is advisable, especially before embarking on the 24.9-mile stretch of State Highway 21, which is the longest uninterrupted section. Pay attention to local signage as you transition between US 63 and State Highway 21 to ensure you stay on course.
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 67.6 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.9 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 30 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.6 miles or 1h 40m 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 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bloomfield, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waterloo, 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 Waterloo, IA
This is one driving day of about 135.1 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Waterloo, 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 21 for about 24.9 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 22.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in|East Ridgeway Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto East Ridgeway Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in|Hammond Avenue
Turn sharp left onto Hammond Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|East San Marnan Drive
Turn right onto East San Marnan Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in|Hawkeye Road
Turn left onto Hawkeye Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
22.3 mi into trip|~35m in|IA 8; IA 21 / 58th Street
At end of road, turn left onto IA 8; IA 21 / 58th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.12 one way
$42.24 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$23.19
$46.38
premium
$4.89
$26.00
$52.00
diesel
$5.61
$29.83
$59.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.5
0
$14.19
$6.48
Efficient EV
33.8
0
$11.82
$5.40
EV Truck/SUV
54
0
$18.91
$8.65
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 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 15, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Night
in Waterloo on Saturday
Local time
11:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bloomfield, IA
Night
in Bloomfield on Saturday
Local time
11:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Brooklyn, IA
68 mi in
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
16 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
3h 11m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The drive features a mixed profile, meaning you'll experience both highway speeds and potentially more local road driving. With 52% of the route on highways, expect some stretches of faster travel, interspersed with periods on state routes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.9 miles on State Highway 21, offering a chance to settle in. This blend of road types means the drive character will evolve, moving from more open highway to potentially more community-focused segments as you progress toward your destination.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.9 mi on State Highway 21.
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 1.8 miles in near East Ridgeway Avenue.
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 11m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (East Ridgeway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (Hammond Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.7 miles (East San Marnan Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 11m. Total distance: 135.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 24.9 miles on State Highway 21. 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 1.8 miles (East Ridgeway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (Hammond Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.7 miles (East San Marnan Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Bloomfield, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
