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Trip from Ames, IA to Lake View, IA

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

Drive Time

2h 9m

Distance

94.3 mi

152 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
2h 0m ★
6 AM
2h 9m
8 AM
2h 27m
10 AM
2h 16m
12 PM
2h 14m
3 PM
2h 16m
5 PM
2h 27m
8 PM
2h 4m

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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Download GPX
city in Story County, Iowa, United States

Ames, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Lake View, IA, IA

Lake View, IA

Maria Borisenko

Trip Overview

The drive from Ames, IA to Lake View, IA covers 94.3 miles and takes about 2h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 30, Union Avenue, US 71 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.2 miles on US 30. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.74 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

47.1 miles from Ames, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 9m. Total distance: 94.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (74%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 9m highway drive covering 94.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 30 and Union Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 63.2 miles on US 30.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 30 is the longest continuous segment at about 63.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 30 and Union Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 9m 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: near the start (I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (South 4th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue

Turn left onto I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | South 4th Street

Turn right onto South 4th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
4
2.8 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp toward US 30 west: Boone

Navigation decision point

Toward US 30 west: Boone
4
68.3 mi into trip | ~1h 32m in | 180th Street

Turn left onto 180th Street

Navigation decision point

4
70.2 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in | US 71

Turn right onto US 71

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 30 63.2 mi 1h 22m
Union Avenue 7 mi 9m
US 71 6.1 mi 8m
330th Street 5 mi 6m
120th Street 4 mi 5m
Noble Avenue 2 mi 2m
Hawthorne Avenue 1.9 mi 2m
180th Street 1.9 mi 3m
Longest stretch: US 30 — 63.2 mi, about 1h 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on I 35 Business

117 ft · 11 sec · 13th Street
2

Turn left onto I 35 Business; US 69

0.8 mi · 1 min · Grand Avenue
3

Continue on South Grand Avenue

0.3 mi · 37 sec · South Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto South 4th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South 4th Street
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left onto University Boulevard

1.1 mi · 2 min · University Boulevard
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward US 30 west: Boone
7

Merge onto US 30

62 mi · 1 hr 21 min · US 30
8

Continue on US 30

1.0 mi · 1 min · US 30
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Turn right onto Noble Avenue

2.0 mi · 2 min · Noble Avenue
10

Turn left onto 180th Street

1.9 mi · 3 min · 180th Street
11

Turn right onto US 71

6.1 mi · 8 min · US 71
12

Turn left onto 120th Street

4.0 mi · 5 min · 120th Street
13

Turn right onto Hawthorne Avenue

1.9 mi · 2 min · Hawthorne Avenue
14

Continue on Union Avenue

7.0 mi · 9 min · Union Avenue
15

Turn left onto IA 175

5.0 mi · 6 min · 330th Street
16

Arrive at destination

IA 175

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 47.1 miles from Ames, IA, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.2 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 21 miles or 30m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 47.1 miles or 1h 4m 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 45m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake View, 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.

+

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 Ames, IA

This is one driving day of about 94.3 miles and 2h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Ames, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 30 for about 63.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 47.1 mi from Ames, IA · 1h 4m into the drive

Downtown Centerville, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Centerville, IA

47 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

Centerville, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Jefferson, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 47.1 miles from Ames, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 30 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.2 miles.

Arriving in Lake View, IA

The final approach into Lake View, 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 Lake View, 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

$14.74 one way

$29.49 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 33 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $16.19 $32.37
premium $4.89 $18.15 $36.29
diesel $5.61 $20.82 $41.64

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 33 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 28.3 0 $9.90 $4.53
Efficient EV 23.6 0 $8.25 $3.77
EV Truck/SUV 37.7 0 $13.20 $6.04

Gas CO2

33 kg

EV CO2

11 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 18, 2026

Origin

Ames, IA

Late night in Ames on Saturday

Local time

4:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

34°F

Partly Cloudy

NW 15 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 17 at 11:29PM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Lake View, IA

Late night in Lake View on Saturday

Local time

4:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

51°F

Centerville, IA

47 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

40 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 9m 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 Lake View, IA covers 94.3 miles and takes about 2h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 30, Union Avenue, US 71. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 47.1 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 $14.74 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 2h 9m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (South 4th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point.

The route from Ames, IA to Lake View, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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