Ames, IA to Britt, IA is 91.7 miles and takes about 1h 59m via I 35 Business and US 69, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest's familiar landscapes. It's a straightforward trip, primarily utilizing established highways. Given its manageable length and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without feeling rushed. Plan for a simple, efficient journey focused on getting you from point A to point B.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.8 miles from Ames, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35 Business
29 mi
31m
US 69
25.9 mi
35m
Little Wall Lake Road
19.5 mi
26m
US 18
9.5 mi
13m
US 20
3.3 mi
3m
13th Street
2.7 mi
5m
220th Street
0.8 mi
1m
Main Avenue North
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35 Business
— 29 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Britt, 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
0.3 mi·56 sec
Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
4
Merge onto US 20
3.3 mi·3 min·US 20
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward US 69
6
Turn right onto US 69
19 mi·26 min·Little Wall Lake Road
7
Turn right onto US 69; IA 3
0.8 mi·1 min·220th Street
8
Turn straight onto US 69; IA 3
12 mi·17 min·US 69; IA 3
9
Continue on US 69
14 mi·18 min·US 69
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 18; US 69
9.5 mi·13 min·US 18; US 69
11
Turn left onto Main Avenue North
0.3 mi·33 sec·Main Avenue North
12
Arrive at destination
Main Avenue North
Trip Plan
With a drive time under two hours, this trip offers excellent flexibility. You can depart Ames, IA any time of day and still arrive in Britt, IA well before evening. There are no designated stops in the data, so consider pacing yourself with brief breaks as needed, perhaps every hour or so. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $14; it’s always wise to top up before departing or when you see a convenient station. A good tip for this route would be to check local traffic conditions on I 35 Business before you leave, as business routes can sometimes experience unexpected congestion.
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 45.8 miles from Ames, IA, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.8 miles or 56m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Britt, 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 91.7 miles and 1h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 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 29 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 81.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
31.6 mi into trip|~36m in
Take the exit toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
4
35.2 mi into trip|~41m in
Take the exit toward US 69
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 69
4
55.1 mi into trip|~1h 9m in|US 69; IA 3 / 220th Street
Turn right onto US 69; IA 3 / 220th Street
Navigation decision point
5
81.8 mi into trip|~1h 46m in|US 18; US 69
At end of road, turn left onto US 18; US 69
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.34 one way
$28.67 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$15.74
$31.48
premium
$4.89
$17.65
$35.29
diesel
$5.61
$20.25
$40.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.5
0
$9.63
$4.40
Efficient EV
22.9
0
$8.02
$3.67
EV Truck/SUV
36.7
0
$12.84
$5.87
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Ames, IA
Afternoon
in Ames on Saturday
Local time
3:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Britt, IA
Afternoon
in Britt on Saturday
Local time
3:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
1 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
1h 59m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 74% of the journey on major roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 29 miles on I 35 Business, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions between business routes and US highways, providing a varied but generally swift travel experience. Expect a driving personality that prioritizes efficient travel over winding scenic byways. The road maintains a predictable character for most of the 1h 59m duration.
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 29 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 Business and US 69. 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 Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Ames, IA to Britt, IA is easy. At 1h 59m with 74% 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 31.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
The drive from Ames, IA to Britt, IA covers 91.7 miles and takes about 1h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35 Business, US 69, Little Wall Lake Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 45.8 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 $14.34 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 Britt, IA is easy. At 1h 59m with 74% 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 31.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Ames, IA to Britt, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
