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Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Boone, IA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

59m

Distance

40.9 mi

66 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 55m ★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties, Iowa, United States

West Des Moines, IA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Iowa, United States

Boone, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion from West Des Moines to Boone, you can expect a manageable 40.9-mile journey that typically takes about 59 minutes to complete. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics or heavy travel fatigue. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $6, it remains an economical choice for a weekend getaway within Iowa. You will spend the vast majority of your time navigating local roads rather than high-speed interstates, giving the drive a more personal, localized feel. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, the transition between these two points is seamless and familiar. It is a straightforward route that offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Kennedy Avenue 12.3 mi 17m
Northwest 142nd Street 6.1 mi 8m
I 80 3.4 mi 3m
Northwest 114th Street 2.6 mi 3m
Mamie Eisenhower Avenue 2.4 mi 3m
John MacVicar Freeway 2.3 mi 2m
Southeast Grimes Boulevard 2.3 mi 3m
Northwest Granger Drive 1.8 mi 2m
Longest stretch: South Kennedy Avenue — 12.3 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Boone, IA.

1

Start on Vine Street

468 ft · 14 sec · Vine Street
2

Turn right onto 8th Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · 8th Street
3

Continue on 73rd Street

0.3 mi · 36 sec · 73rd Street
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I-235 west Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto I 235

2.3 mi · 2 min · John MacVicar Freeway
6

Take the exit onto Ramp 72 E

0.4 mi · 56 sec · Ramp 72 E
Exit 123B Toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chicago Use the slight right lane.
7

Merge onto I 80

3.4 mi · 3 min · I 80
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapolis Use the slight right lane.
8

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 127B Toward IA 141 West: Grimes Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto IA 141

2.3 mi · 3 min · Southeast Grimes Boulevard
10

Continue on IA 141

1.0 mi · 1 min · Northeast Grimes Boulevard
11

Continue on IA 141

2.6 mi · 3 min · Northwest 114th Street
12

Continue on IA 141

1.8 mi · 2 min · Northwest Granger Drive
13

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward IA 17: Madrid, Boone
14

Continue on IA 17

0.5 mi · 44 sec · Northwest 142nd Street
15

Enter roundabout onto IA 17

102 ft · 1 sec · Northwest 142nd Street
16

Continue on IA 17

5.6 mi · 7 min · Northwest 142nd Street
17

Continue on State Highway 17

0.3 mi · 21 sec · State Highway 17
18

Continue on Y Avenue

1.2 mi · 1 min · Y Avenue
19

Continue on IA 17

0.2 mi · 21 sec · State Highway 17
20

Continue on IA 17

12 mi · 17 min · South Kennedy Avenue
21

Turn left onto Robin Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Robin Road
22

At end of road, turn left onto CR E41

0.7 mi · 1 min · 210th Street
23

Continue on Mamie Eisenhower Avenue

2.4 mi · 3 min · Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
24

Arrive at destination

Mamie Eisenhower Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Grimes, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Grimes, IA

20 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Centerville, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Madrid, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from West Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 16.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I-235 west

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I-235 west
8
4 mi into trip | ~6m in | Ramp 72 E

Take the exit onto Ramp 72 E toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chicago

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 123B Toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chic...
7
4.5 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 80

Merge onto I 80 toward I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapolis

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapo...
7
7.9 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward IA 141 West: Grimes

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 127B Toward IA 141 West: Grimes
5
16.4 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward IA 17: Madrid, Boone

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IA 17: Madrid, Boone

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.39 one way

$12.79 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.02 $14.04
premium $4.89 $7.87 $15.74
diesel $5.61 $9.03 $18.06

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.3 0 $4.29 $1.96
Efficient EV 10.2 0 $3.58 $1.64
EV Truck/SUV 16.4 0 $5.73 $2.62

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 18, 2026

Origin

West Des Moines, IA

Late night in West Des Moines on Tuesday

Local time

3:54 AM

CDT

Current temp

37°F

Mostly Cloudy

NNW 10 to 14 mph 6% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Boone, IA

Late night in Boone on Tuesday

Local time

3:54 AM

CDT

Current temp

34°F

Mostly Cloudy

NNW 17 mph 5% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

59m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy experience on this drive, as it relies significantly more on local infrastructure than major thoroughfares. Only about 15% of your trip will be spent on the highway, specifically utilizing I-80 before transitioning to local connectors like South Kennedy Avenue and Northwest 142nd Street. You will find your longest uninterrupted stretch on South Kennedy Avenue, which spans 12.3 miles of the total distance. Because this is not a traditional interstate grind, you should be prepared for frequent adjustments and a more hands-on approach to your navigation. The personality of this route is defined by its technical local turns, requiring you to stay alert and engaged throughout the hour-long trip.

Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.3 mi on South Kennedy Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 1.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 40.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (Ramp 72 E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Boone, IA, road signs point toward Chicago and Minneapolis.

Chicago

4 mi in | ~6m | via Ramp 72 E

Minneapolis

4.5 mi in | ~7m | via I 80

About the Cities

Starting in West Des Moines, IA

Full guide →

West Des Moines is a small city in Central Iowa, the largest suburb of Des Moines.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

59m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.3 miles on South Kennedy Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Boone, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (Ramp 72 E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Boone, 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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