If you are planning a trip from West Des Moines to Anamosa, expect a 148-mile journey that typically takes about 3 hours and 2 minutes of driving time. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive, it works perfectly as a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You should budget approximately $22 for fuel to cover the distance across this stretch of the Midwest. Navigating the route involves a blend of local roads like 73rd Street and Northeast Hubbell Road, along with segments of the historic Lincoln Highway. While it is a manageable trip, be prepared for a more active driving experience than a straight interstate shot. This route is ideal for those who prefer backroads over high-speed highway traffic.
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
74 miles from West Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Lincoln Highway
37 mi
42m
Northeast Hubbell Road
33.5 mi
39m
73rd Street
26.8 mi
30m
Marion Airport Road
11.4 mi
13m
IA 100
9.4 mi
11m
John MacVicar Freeway
8.8 mi
11m
Collins Road Northeast
5.9 mi
7m
I 80
3.4 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 37 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Anamosa, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·Vine Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.4 mi·55 sec·4th Street
3
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto 56th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·56th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I-235 east
6
Merge onto I 235
8.8 mi·11 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 137A-BToward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, DavenportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 137AToward I 80 East: DavenportUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·I 80
10
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
12
Continue on US 65; IA 330
33 mi·39 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
14
Merge onto US 30
37 mi·42 min·Lincoln Highway
15
Continue on US 30
27 mi·30 min·73rd Street
16
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
17
Continue on IA 100
9.4 mi·11 min·IA 100
18
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 100
5.9 mi·7 min·Collins Road Northeast
19
Turn left onto US 151; IA 13
1.1 mi·1 min·US 151; IA 13
20
Turn right onto US 151
11 mi·13 min·Marion Airport Road
21
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
22
At end of road, turn right onto IA 1
0.2 mi·17 sec·State Highway 1
23
Continue on CR E34
3.2 mi·5 min·County Road E34
24
Continue on CR E34
0.3 mi·30 sec·Elm Street
25
Turn left onto Cemetery Road
41 ft·2 sec·Cemetery Road
26
Turn right onto CR E34
0.3 mi·30 sec·South Elm Street
27
At end of road, turn right onto CR E28
0.4 mi·42 sec·West Main Street
28
Arrive at destination
CR E28
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. Plan for at least one stop during your 3-hour journey to keep your focus sharp on the winding local roads. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy profile of this drive can be more fatiguing than highway cruising, so pace yourself accordingly. With a fuel budget of $22, it is wise to fill up before you leave West Des Moines to avoid searching for stations on smaller, unfamiliar roads. A helpful tip is to map out your one planned stop near the 37-mile stretch on the Lincoln Highway to ensure you have a comfortable place to stretch your legs mid-trip.
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 74 miles from West Des Moines, IA, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37 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 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74 miles or 1h 31m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anamosa, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, IA
This is one driving day of about 148 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from West Des Moines, 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 Lincoln Highway for about 37 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 15 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Grand Avenue
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 137A-B
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
9
11.3 mi into trip|~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
8
15 mi into trip|~21m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.14 one way
$46.28 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$25.40
$50.81
premium
$4.89
$28.48
$56.96
diesel
$5.61
$32.68
$65.35
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.4
0
$15.54
$7.10
Efficient EV
37
0
$12.95
$5.92
EV Truck/SUV
59.2
0
$20.72
$9.47
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (67% 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
West Des Moines, IA
Night
in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
11:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Anamosa, IA
Night
in Anamosa on Saturday
Local time
11:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live 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
4 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 2m 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?
Expect a hands-on driving experience, as this route is characterized by its turn-heavy local nature rather than a monotonous interstate grind. Only 16% of your journey will be spent on highways, so you will spend the majority of your time navigating local roads. Your longest uninterrupted stretch is 37 miles along the Lincoln Highway, providing a brief period to settle in before the road returns to more frequent turns. The transition between different road types requires your full attention throughout the 148-mile transit. You will certainly feel the change in pace as you move off major thoroughfares and onto the local infrastructure that defines this Iowa drive.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37 mi on Lincoln Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Grand Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 148 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between West Des Moines, IA and Anamosa, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport, Bondurant and Marion.
Council Bluffs
11 mi in|~16m
Davenport
11 mi in|~16m
Bondurant
15 mi in|~21m|via US 65
Marion
114.4 mi in|~2h 18m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 2m. Total distance: 148 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37 miles on Lincoln Highway. 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Anamosa, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Anamosa, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
