Origin
Ames, IA
Morning in Ames on Saturday
Local time
11:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ames, IA to Prairie City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
51 mi
82 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Prairie City, IA
Charles Criscuolo
Trip Overview
The drive from Ames, IA to Prairie City, IA covers 51 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35 South, I 80 East, US 65 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.97 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 51 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 4m drive with frequent turns across 51 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 South is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Ames, IA to Prairie City, IA is easy. At 1h 4m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ames, IA to Prairie City, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 South | — | — |
| I 80 East | — | — |
| US 65 South | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
| IA 163 | — | — |
| East University Avenue | — | — |
| Northeast University Avenue | — | — |
| West 116th Street South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35 South
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Prairie City, IA.
1
Start on 13th Street
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
13th Street
2
Take the ramp right toward I 35 South: Des Moines
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 35 South: Des Moines
3
Merge slight left
26 mi
·
28 min
4
Keep slight right to continue on I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
5
Take the exit slight left toward I 80 East: Davenport
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 80 East: Davenport
6
Merge slight right
2.6 mi
·
2 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
8
Merge slight left onto Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
9
Take the exit slight right toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant Hill
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant Hill
10
Turn left onto East University Avenue
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East University Avenue
11
Continue on Northeast University Avenue
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast University Avenue
12
Continue on East University Avenue
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
East University Avenue
13
Turn left onto West 116th Street South
276 ft
·
7 sec
·
West 116th Street South
14
Turn right onto State Highway 163 (Bus)
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 163 (Bus)
15
Turn left onto West 2nd Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 2nd Street
16
Turn left onto South State Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
South State Street
17
Turn left onto East 5th Street
344 ft
·
15 sec
·
East 5th Street
18
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.5 mi from Ames, IA · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.5 miles from Ames, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Prairie City, IA
The final approach into Prairie City, 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
$7.97 one way
$15.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.75 | $17.51 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.81 | $19.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.26 | $22.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.45 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.14 | $3.26 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Prairie City, IA
Morning in Prairie City on Saturday
Local time
11:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
19 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 4m 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 Ames, IA to Prairie City, IA covers 51 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35 South, I 80 East, US 65 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.5 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 $7.97 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 Prairie City, IA is easy. At 1h 4m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ames, IA to Prairie City, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ames, IA to Prairie City, 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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