Origin
Algona, IA
Late night in Algona on Friday
Local time
2:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Algona, IA to Urbandale, IA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
2h 49m
Distance
120.7 mi
194 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 39m
★
6 AM
2h 50m
8 AM
3h 12m
10 AM
2h 57m
12 PM
2h 55m
3 PM
2h 59m
5 PM
3h 11m
8 PM
2h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Algona, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Algona, IA to Urbandale, IA covers 120.7 miles and takes about 2h 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lincoln Avenue, US 169, Northwest Granger Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.2 miles on Lincoln Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.87 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
60.4 miles from Algona, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 25m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 49m. Total distance: 120.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (17%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 49m drive with frequent turns across 120.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lincoln Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 42.2 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,195 ft
922 ft
Total Climb
55 ft
Total Descent
307 ft
Highest Point
1,195 ft
Elevation Range
274 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East McGregor Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 49m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (East McGregor Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 169 / South Phillips Street): Navigation decision point; at 76.4 miles (US 30; US 169 / 220th Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East McGregor Street
Turn left onto East McGregor Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 169 / South Phillips Street
Turn right onto US 169 / South Phillips Street
Navigation decision point
4
76.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 48m in
|
US 30; US 169 / 220th Street
Turn left onto US 30; US 169 / 220th Street
Navigation decision point
4
80.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 54m in
|
US 169 / H Avenue
Turn right onto US 169 / H Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
93.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
Take the exit toward IA 141 east: Urbandale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IA 141 east: Urbandale
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Avenue | 42.2 mi | 58m |
| US 169 | 16.6 mi | 23m |
| Northwest Granger Drive | 15.6 mi | 18m |
| H Avenue | 11.4 mi | 15m |
| South Phillips Street | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| US Highway 169 | 4 mi | 5m |
| 360th Street | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| 220th Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Avenue
— 42.2 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Algona, IA and Urbandale, IA.
1
Start on US 169
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Jones Street
2
Turn left onto East McGregor Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
East McGregor Street
3
Turn right onto US 169
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Phillips Street
4
Continue on US 169
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
US Highway 169
5
Continue on US 169
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Phillips Street
6
Continue on US 169
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
120th Avenue
7
Continue on US 169
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
8
Continue on US 169
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
13th Street North
9
Continue on US 169
377 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lincoln Avenue
10
Continue on US 169
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
13th Street South
11
Continue on US 169
31 mi
·
42 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
12
Turn left onto US 169
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
360th Street
13
Take the exit onto US 169
16 mi
·
22 min
·
US 169
14
Turn left onto US 30; US 169
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
220th Street
15
Take the exit onto US 169
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
US 169
16
Turn right onto US 169
11 mi
·
15 min
·
H Avenue
17
Continue on US 169
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
N Avenue
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward IA 141 east: Urbandale
19
Continue on IA 141
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Northwest Granger Drive
20
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest 114th Street
21
Continue on IA 141
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
22
Continue on IA 141
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
Grimes Boulevard
23
Continue on IA 141
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on IA 141
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Urbandale Drive
25
Turn left onto Meredith Drive
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Meredith Drive
26
Turn right onto 70th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street
27
Turn left onto Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
Maryland Drive
28
Arrive at destination
Maryland Drive
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 60.4 miles from Algona, IA, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.2 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 27 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.4 miles or 1h 25m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Urbandale, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Algona, 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 Algona, IA
This is one driving day of about 120.7 miles and 2h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Algona, 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 Avenue for about 42.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 60.4 mi from Algona, IA · 1h 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 60.4 miles from Algona, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Urbandale, IA
The final approach into Urbandale, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Urbandale, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.87 one way
$37.74 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.72 | $41.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $23.23 | $46.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.65 | $53.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.2 | 0 | $12.67 | $5.79 |
| Efficient EV | 30.2 | 0 | $10.56 | $4.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.3 | 0 | $16.90 | $7.72 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Urbandale, IA
Late night in Urbandale on Friday
Local time
2:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Centerville, IA
60 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
4 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
2h 49m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Algona, IA to Urbandale, IA covers 120.7 miles and takes about 2h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lincoln Avenue, US 169, Northwest Granger Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.4 miles from Algona, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.87 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 49m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (East McGregor Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 169 / South Phillips Street): Navigation decision point; at 76.4 miles (US 30; US 169 / 220th Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Algona, IA to Urbandale, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 922 ft to 1,195 ft elevation with about 55 ft of total climbing.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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