The drive from Ankeny, IA to Fort Madison, IA covers 184 miles and takes about 3h 41m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East University Avenue, Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 2 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 128.7 miles on East University Avenue.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.77 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92 miles from Ankeny, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 41m. Total distance: 184 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 41m drive with frequent turns across 184 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East University Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 128.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 184 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Southwest Walnut Street
Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|West 1st Street
At end of road, turn right onto West 1st Street
Navigation decision point
6
6.6 mi into trip|~9m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
8
10.2 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the exit toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 141
Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
6
14.7 mi into trip|~20m in
Take the exit toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 79
Toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ankeny, IA and Fort Madison, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Pleasant Hill.
Des Moines
10.2 mi in|~15m
Pleasant Hill
14.7 mi in|~20m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East University Avenue
128.7 mi
2h 28m
Avenue of the Saints
24.6 mi
28m
State Highway 2
8.9 mi
12m
I 35
4.8 mi
5m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
3.8 mi
4m
I 80
2.6 mi
2m
Northeast University Avenue
1.8 mi
2m
Avenue O
1.7 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— 128.7 mi, about 2h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Fort Madison, IA.
1
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft·4 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·Southwest Walnut Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto West 1st Street
1.4 mi·3 min·West 1st Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·30 sec
Toward I-35 south: Des Moines
5
Merge onto I 35
4.7 mi·5 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
0.2 mi·12 sec·I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi·2 min
Exit 137AToward I 80 East: Davenport
8
Merge onto I 80
2.6 mi·2 min·I 80
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 141Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des MoinesUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 65
3.8 mi·4 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Exit 79Toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant Hill
12
Turn left onto IA 163
3.3 mi·4 min·East University Avenue
13
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi·2 min·Northeast University Avenue
14
Continue on IA 163
125 mi·2 hr 24 min·East University Avenue
15
Merge onto US 34; US 218; IA 27; IA 163
25 mi·28 min·Avenue of the Saints
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·58 sec
Toward IA 2: Donnellson, Fort Madison
17
Turn left onto IA 2
8.9 mi·12 min·State Highway 2
18
Continue on Avenue O
1.7 mi·2 min·Avenue O
19
Continue on US 61 Business
0.3 mi·27 sec·Old Highway 61
20
Continue on US 61 Business
1.5 mi·2 min·Avenue L
21
Turn left onto US 61 Business
0.2 mi·21 sec·18th Street
22
Turn right onto US 61 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Avenue H
23
Turn right onto Avenue I
139 ft·12 sec·Avenue I
24
Turn left
61 ft·4 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 92 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 128.7 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 40 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92 miles or 1h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Madison, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ankeny, 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 Ankeny, IA
This is one driving day of about 184 miles and 3h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Ankeny, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on East University Avenue for about 128.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 92 mi from Ankeny, IA
· 1h 50m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
55.2
0
$19.32
$8.83
Efficient EV
46
0
$16.10
$7.36
EV Truck/SUV
73.6
0
$25.76
$11.78
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 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
Ankeny, IA
Late night
in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Madison, IA
Late night
in Fort Madison on Saturday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
3 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
3h 41m 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 Ankeny, IA to Fort Madison, IA covers 184 miles and takes about 3h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East University Avenue, Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 2. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 92 miles from Ankeny, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.77 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 184 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Ankeny, IA and Fort Madison, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Pleasant Hill.
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.
