Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Buffalo (historical), IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
34 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Buffalo (historical), IA
Karolina
Trip Overview
This 34-mile drive from West Des Moines to Buffalo (historical), Iowa, is a quick trip, clocking in at just 47 minutes. It's easily manageable as a day trip, with no need for an overnight stay. You'll navigate a mix of roads, including North Avenue, I-80, and John MacVicar Freeway, with about 46% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this short hop within the Midwest. This route offers a straightforward way to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Avenue | 13.8 mi | 20m |
| I 80 | 12.1 mi | 13m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Clark Tower Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Guthrie Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 8th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| 73rd Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Vine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Avenue
— 13.8 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Buffalo (historical), 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
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
6
Merge onto I 80
12 mi
·
13 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Toward US 169, US 6: Adel, Winterset
8
Turn left onto US 6; US 169
481 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Avenue
9
Continue on US 6; US 169
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Guthrie Street
10
Continue on US 169
14 mi
·
20 min
·
North Avenue
11
Continue on CR P71
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Clark Tower Road
12
Turn left onto CR G50
343 ft
·
10 sec
·
St Charles Road
13
Turn right onto Maple Lane
195 ft
·
8 sec
·
Maple Lane
14
Arrive at destination
Maple Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 33.9 — 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
5
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
17.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward US 169, US 6: Adel, Winterset
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 169, US 6: Adel, Winterset
4
17.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 6; US 169 / North Avenue
Turn left onto US 6; US 169 / North Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
33.9 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Maple Lane
Turn right onto Maple Lane
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.32 one way
$10.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.84 | $11.67 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.54 | $13.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Buffalo (historical), IA
Late night in Buffalo (historical) on Sunday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
De Soto, IA
17 mi in
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
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this drive is best described as a mixed bag, with 46% of the miles spent on highways. You'll experience a 13.8-mile stretch on North Avenue, which likely offers a different pace than the interstate sections. The journey isn't a monotonous interstate grind, nor is it purely rural backroads. Expect a blend of faster highway driving and potentially more local road segments as you make your way to Buffalo. This variety means you won't be stuck in one type of driving for the entire 47 minutes.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.8 mi on North Avenue.
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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 34 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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 West Des Moines, IA to Buffalo (historical), IA, road signs begin pointing toward Winterset along the way.
Winterset
17.2 mi in
|
~21m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 34 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.8 miles on North Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buffalo (historical), 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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