Waterloo, IA to Lake Park, IA is 211.6 miles and takes about 4h 38m via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically across Iowa, making it a straightforward, same-day excursion. You'll primarily be on the Avenue of the Saints, which offers a good mix of highway and surface road driving. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for those looking for a quick connection between these two Iowa points without extensive planning.
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
105.8 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
92.9 mi
1h 46m
State Highway 9
52 mi
1h 14m
150th Street
11.6 mi
15m
US 218
7 mi
9m
US Highway 169
6.4 mi
8m
430th Street
6.1 mi
9m
400th Street
5.7 mi
7m
US Highway 71
5.5 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 92.9 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Lake Park, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft·6 sec·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.4 mi·44 sec·Washington Street
3
Continue on US 218
6.3 mi·7 min·US 218
4
Take the exit onto US 218
0.2 mi·31 sec·US 218
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218
0.5 mi·58 sec·US 218
Toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
6
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
93 mi·1 hr 46 min·Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
8
Turn left onto IA 9
1.1 mi·1 min·State Highway 9
9
Continue on IA 9
0.5 mi·38 sec·North Street
10
Continue on IA 9
0.5 mi·40 sec·360th Street
11
Continue on IA 9
2.3 mi·3 min·Evergreen Avenue
12
Continue on IA 9
5.0 mi·6 min·State Highway 9
13
Turn right onto CR R74
5.2 mi·7 min·230th Avenue
14
Turn left onto CR A38
5.7 mi·7 min·400th Street
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 69; IA 9
2.0 mi·2 min·170th Avenue
16
Turn left onto IA 9
16 mi·22 min·State Highway 9
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on IA 9
0.5 mi·1 min·1st Avenue East
18
Continue on IA 9
6.8 mi·9 min·State Highway 9
19
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 9
385 ft·6 sec·State Highway 9
20
Continue on US 169; IA 9
6.4 mi·8 min·US Highway 169
21
Continue on IA 9
4.6 mi·6 min·State Highway 9
22
Continue on IA 9
0.7 mi·58 sec·4th Avenue West
23
Continue on IA 9
6.1 mi·9 min·430th Street
24
Continue on IA 9
3.1 mi·4 min·4th Avenue
25
Continue on IA 9
15 mi·22 min·State Highway 9
26
Continue on IA 9
2.9 mi·4 min·East Central Avenue
27
Continue on IA 9
3.3 mi·4 min·State Highway 9
28
Continue on IA 9
1.4 mi·2 min·Highway 9
29
Continue on IA 9
0.8 mi·1 min·1st Avenue
30
Continue on IA 9
2.0 mi·2 min·150th Street
31
Continue on US 71; IA 9
5.5 mi·7 min·US Highway 71
32
Continue on US 71; IA 9
2.0 mi·4 min·18th Street
33
Continue on IA 9
9.6 mi·13 min·150th Street
34
Turn right onto M27
1.0 mi·2 min·135th Avenue
35
Continue on South Market Street
0.8 mi·1 min·South Market Street
36
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under five hours, you can easily complete this trip to Lake Park from Waterloo in a single day. Aim for an early morning departure to maximize daylight and allow for any unforeseen delays. The route has only one recommended stop, so plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly, especially before you begin the longest stretch of 92.9 miles on the Avenue of the Saints. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $33 budget suggests a straightforward fill-up will suffice, but it's always wise to top off before heading into less populated areas.
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 105.8 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 92.9 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 47 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.8 miles or 2h 4m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Park, 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 211.6 miles and 4h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 92.9 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 122.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
6
6.9 mi into trip|~9m in|US 218
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218 toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
4
100.6 mi into trip|~1h 57m in|IA 9 / State Highway 9
Turn left onto IA 9 / State Highway 9
Navigation decision point
4
110.1 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|CR R74 / 230th Avenue
Turn right onto CR R74 / 230th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
122.9 mi into trip|~2h 27m in|IA 9 / State Highway 9
Turn left onto IA 9 / State Highway 9
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.30 one way
$70.59 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$38.36
$76.73
premium
$5.26
$43.81
$87.62
diesel
$6.18
$51.48
$102.95
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: 74 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
63.5
0
$22.22
$10.16
Efficient EV
52.9
0
$18.52
$8.46
EV Truck/SUV
84.6
1
$29.62
$13.54
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 16, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Morning
in Waterloo on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
NNW 15 to 25 mph50% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:12AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 3:47AM CDT until October 17 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Lake Park, IA
Morning
in Lake Park on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Partly Sunny
NNW 15 to 30 mph9% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:12AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 3:47AM CDT until October 17 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
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
3 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
4h 38m 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?
About 34% of this 211.6-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter a 92.9-mile stretch on the Avenue of the Saints, which should provide a consistent cruising experience. After this, you'll transition to State Highway 9 and then 150th Street, indicating a shift to more local roads. Expect a mixed driving profile, moving from more open highway to rural cruising as you get closer to Lake Park.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 92.9 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
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 early in the drive near Washington Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 38m drive. You will face about 12 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (US 218): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 100.6 miles (IA 9 / State Highway 9): Navigation decision point.
Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
Top landmarks
•Henry Weis House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Rensselaer Russell House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch — historic Carnegie library in Iowa
The longest stretch is about 92.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (US 218): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 100.6 miles (IA 9 / State Highway 9): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.6 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 Lake Park, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
