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Trip from Ames, IA to Ackley, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 24m

Distance

66.9 mi

108 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 18m ★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m

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 Story County, Iowa, United States

Ames, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Ackley, IA, IA

Ackley, IA

Tara Winstead

Trip Overview

The drive from Ames, IA to Ackley, IA covers 66.9 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35 Business, US 20, County Highway S56 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.6 miles on I 35 Business. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.46 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 66.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (83%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 24m highway drive covering 66.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 Business and US 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 28.6 miles on I 35 Business.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 Business is the longest continuous segment at about 28.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 Business and US 20. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 35 Business.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Ames, IA to Ackley, IA is easy. At 1h 24m with 83% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (I 35 Business): Navigation decision point; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 59 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
2.7 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 35 Business

Turn left onto I 35 Business toward I 35 North: Minneapolis

Navigation decision point

Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
4
31.3 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward US 20 East: Waterloo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
5
59 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in

Take the exit toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora

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

Toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
4
59.4 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in | County Highway S56

Turn left onto County Highway S56

Navigation decision point

4
66.5 mi into trip | ~1h 22m in | Park Avenue

Turn left onto Park Avenue

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Ames, IA and Ackley, IA, road signs point toward Cr S56: Ackley and Eldora.

Cr S56: Ackley

59 mi in | ~1h 9m

Eldora

59 mi in | ~1h 9m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35 Business 28.6 mi 31m
US 20 27.2 mi 31m
County Highway S56 6.3 mi 11m
13th Street 2.7 mi 5m
Butler Street 0.8 mi 1m
Park Avenue 0.3 mi 1m
Main Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35 Business — 28.6 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Ackley, IA.

1

Start on I 35 Business

2.7 mi · 5 min · 13th Street
2

Turn left onto I 35 Business

29 mi · 31 min · I 35 Business
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
3

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
4

Merge onto US 20

27 mi · 31 min · US 20
5

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 59 sec
Toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
6

Turn left onto County Highway S56

6.3 mi · 11 min · County Highway S56
7

Continue on Butler Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Butler Street
8

Turn left onto Park Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · Park Avenue
9

Turn slight right onto Main Street

115 ft · 5 sec · Main Street
10

Arrive at destination

Main Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 33.4 mi from Ames, IA · 39m into the drive

Downtown Story City, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Story City, IA

33 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

Roland, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Oakland, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.4 miles from Ames, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ackley, IA

The final approach into Ackley, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.46 one way

$20.92 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $11.48 $22.97
premium $4.89 $12.87 $25.75
diesel $5.61 $14.77 $29.54

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.1 0 $7.02 $3.21
Efficient EV 16.7 0 $5.85 $2.68
EV Truck/SUV 26.8 0 $9.37 $4.28

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Ames, IA

Night in Ames on Friday

Local time

9:01 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 22 mph 28% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:47AM CDT until April 22 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:46AM CDT until April 21 at 6:36AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Ackley, IA

Night in Ackley on Friday

Local time

9:01 PM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

8 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

1h 24m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Ames, IA to Ackley, IA covers 66.9 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 35 Business, US 20, County Highway S56. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 33.4 miles from Ames, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.46 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.

The drive from Ames, IA to Ackley, IA is easy. At 1h 24m with 83% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (I 35 Business): Navigation decision point; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 59 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Ames, IA and Ackley, IA, road signs point toward Cr S56: Ackley and Eldora.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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