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Trip from Ankeny, IA to Monona, IA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

4h 11m

Distance

206.4 mi

332 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Fair

4 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
3h 58m ★
6 AM
4h 11m
8 AM
4h 38m
10 AM
4h 21m
12 PM
4h 18m
3 PM
4h 22m
5 PM
4h 36m
8 PM
4h 3m

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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city in Polk County, Iowa, United States

Ankeny, IA

Wikimedia Commons

human settlement in Clayton County, Iowa, United States of America

Monona, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Ankeny, IA to Monona, IA covers 206.4 miles and takes about 4h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 20, I 35, State Highway 13 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.8 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.27 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

103.2 miles from Ankeny, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 58m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 11m. Total distance: 206.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 4h 11m highway drive covering 206.4 miles, with most of the trip on US 20 and I 35. The longest continuous stretch is about 99.8 miles on US 20.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 99.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and I 35. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.

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 4h 11m drive. You will face about 14 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 (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 51.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 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

4
51.3 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward US 20 East: Waterloo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
4
123.6 mi into trip | ~2h 22m in | US 20

Keep slight left at fork onto US 20

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
199.6 mi into trip | ~4h 1m in | US 52

At end of road, turn left onto US 52

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 20 99.8 mi 1h 55m
I 35 49.3 mi 53m
State Highway 13 25.4 mi 34m
Washburn Avenue 12.5 mi 17m
US 18 5 mi 6m
C Avenue 3 mi 4m
State Highway 3 2.9 mi 3m
40th Street 2 mi 2m
Longest stretch: US 20 — 99.8 mi, about 1h 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Monona, 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

49 mi · 53 min · I 35
6

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
7

Merge onto US 20

72 mi · 1 hr 22 min · US 20
8

Keep slight left at fork onto US 20

28 mi · 32 min · US 20
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec
10

Turn left onto IA 187

13 mi · 17 min · Washburn Avenue
11

Continue on IA 187

3.0 mi · 4 min · C Avenue
12

Enter roundabout onto IA 3

20 ft · 0 sec · 40th Street
13

Continue on IA 3

2.0 mi · 2 min · 40th Street
14

Continue on IA 3

2.9 mi · 3 min · State Highway 3
15

Continue on IA 3

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Mission Street
16

Turn left onto IA 13

0.8 mi · 1 min · Elkader Street
17

Continue on IA 13

25 mi · 34 min · State Highway 13
18

At end of road, turn left onto US 52

1.0 mi · 1 min · US 52
19

Turn left onto US 18; US 52

5.0 mi · 6 min · US 18; US 52
20

Turn right onto CR X26

0.8 mi · 1 min · Main Street
21

Turn right onto CR B45

160 ft · 3 sec · East Iowa Street
22

Arrive at destination

CR B45

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 103.2 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.8 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 45 miles or 51m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 103.2 miles or 1h 58m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 19m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monona, 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 206.4 miles and 4h 11m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 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 US 20 for about 99.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 103.2 mi from Ankeny, IA · 1h 58m into the drive

city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cedar Falls, IA

103 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

Ames, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 45 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cedar Falls, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 103.2 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Monona, IA

The final approach into Monona, 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 Monona, IA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 117.9

Waterloo, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Shell Recharge Charging Station

2.2 ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 117.9

Waterloo, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+31880109500

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 29.5

Ames, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Blink Charging Station

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 29.5

Story City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18889982546

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Effigy Mounds National Monument

Effigy Mounds National Monument

National Monument

The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings o...

9 mi from route ~21 min detour Free near mile 199.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.27 one way

$64.54 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 72 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $35.43 $70.86
premium $4.89 $39.72 $79.44
diesel $5.61 $45.57 $91.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 72.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 61.9 0 $21.67 $9.91
Efficient EV 51.6 0 $18.06 $8.26
EV Truck/SUV 82.6 1 $28.90 $13.21

Gas CO2

72 kg

EV CO2

24 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 15, 2026

Origin

Ankeny, IA

Evening in Ankeny on Thursday

Local time

6:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Monona, IA

Evening in Monona on Thursday

Local time

6:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

45°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

25 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

4h 11m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Monona, IA covers 206.4 miles and takes about 4h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, I 35, State Highway 13. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 103.2 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 $32.27 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 11m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow 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 51.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Ankeny, IA to Monona, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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