The drive from Ames, IA to Aplington, IA covers 76.8 miles and takes about 1h 37m 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 $12.01 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.
Midpoint
38.4 miles from Ames, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 37m. Total distance: 76.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 1h 37m highway drive covering 76.8 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 12 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 35 Business.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 37m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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
66.6 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|Butler Street
Keep slight right at fork onto Butler Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
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 Aplington, 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
IA 57
5.7 mi
8m
West Brook Street
3.5 mi
5m
13th Street
2.7 mi
5m
Hardin Street
1 mi
1m
Butler Street
0.9 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 Aplington, 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
0.9 mi·1 min·Butler Street
8
Keep slight right at fork onto Butler Street
431 ft·8 sec·Butler Street
9
Turn straight onto IA 57
1.0 mi·1 min·Hardin Street
10
Continue on IA 57
3.5 mi·5 min·West Brook Street
11
Turn straight onto IA 57
5.7 mi·8 min·IA 57
12
Arrive at destination
IA 57
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.4 miles from Ames, IA, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.6 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 17 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.4 miles or 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Aplington, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ames, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ames, IA
This is one driving day of about 76.8 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Ames, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35 Business for about 28.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23
0
$8.06
$3.69
Efficient EV
19.2
0
$6.72
$3.07
EV Truck/SUV
30.7
0
$10.75
$4.92
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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 17, 2026
Origin
Ames, IA
Evening
in Ames on Friday
Local time
6:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 22 mph28% chanceLive 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
Aplington, IA
Evening
in Aplington on Friday
Local time
6:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
32 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 37m 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 Aplington, IA covers 76.8 miles and takes about 1h 37m 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 38.4 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 $12.01 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.
This is a straightforward 1h 37m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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 Aplington, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
