The drive from Ankeny, IA to Greene, IA covers 115.8 miles and takes about 2h 23m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, State Highway 3, Liberty Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 72.4 miles on I 35.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.10 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
57.9 miles from Ankeny, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 115.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 23m highway drive covering 115.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and State Highway 3. The longest continuous stretch is about 72.4 miles on I 35.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 72.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and State Highway 3. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Ankeny, IA to Greene, IA is easy. At 2h 23m with 78% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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 74.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 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
5
74.4 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward IA 3: Hampton, Clarion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 3: Hampton, Clarion
4
105 mi into trip|~2h 6m in|IA 14 / Liberty Avenue
Turn left onto IA 14 / Liberty Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
115.1 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|CR C13 / West South Street
Turn right onto CR C13 / West South Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ankeny, IA to Greene, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Clarion along the way.
Clarion
74.4 mi in|~1h 23m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
72.4 mi
1h 18m
State Highway 3
17 mi
23m
Liberty Avenue
9.4 mi
13m
210th Street
9.2 mi
12m
Central Avenue West
2.1 mi
4m
South Street
1.7 mi
2m
West 1st Street
1.5 mi
3m
State Highway 14
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 72.4 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Greene, 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
1.5 mi·3 min·West 1st Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
5
Merge onto I 35
72 mi·1 hr 18 min·I 35
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward IA 3: Hampton, Clarion
7
Turn right onto IA 3
8.9 mi·12 min·State Highway 3
8
Continue on IA 3
2.1 mi·4 min·Central Avenue West
9
Continue on IA 3
8.2 mi·11 min·State Highway 3
10
Continue on IA 3
1.8 mi·2 min·210th Street
11
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi·2 min·South Street
12
Continue on IA 3
7.4 mi·10 min·210th Street
13
Turn left onto IA 14
9.4 mi·13 min·Liberty Avenue
14
Continue on IA 14
0.7 mi·1 min·State Highway 14
15
Turn right onto CR C13
0.2 mi·26 sec·West South Street
16
Continue on CR C13
0.5 mi·1 min·West Traer Street
17
Turn left onto North 1st Street
74 ft·1 sec·North 1st Street
18
Arrive at destination
North 1st Street
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 57.9 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.4 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 25 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.9 miles or 1h 5m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Greene, 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 115.8 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Ankeny, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 72.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.9 mi from Ankeny, IA
· 1h 5m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.7
0
$12.16
$5.56
Efficient EV
29
0
$10.13
$4.63
EV Truck/SUV
46.3
0
$16.21
$7.41
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Friday
Local time
3:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Greene, IA
Late night
in Greene on Friday
Local time
3:27 AM
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
23 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
2h 23m 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 Greene, IA covers 115.8 miles and takes about 2h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, State Highway 3, Liberty Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57.9 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 $18.10 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 Ankeny, IA to Greene, IA is easy. At 2h 23m with 78% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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 74.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Ankeny, IA to Greene, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Clarion along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
