The drive from Ankeny, IA to Monticello, IA covers 147.8 miles and takes about 3h 1m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road, 73rd Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37 miles on Lincoln Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.11 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
73.9 miles from Ankeny, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 1m. Total distance: 147.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 1m drive with frequent turns across 147.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lincoln Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 37 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 1m drive. You will face about 11 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 38.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 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
38.4 mi into trip|~50m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
102.7 mi into trip|~2h 4m in
Take the exit toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
5
147.8 mi into trip|~3h 1m in|North Maple Street
Turn right onto North Maple 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 Monticello, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Marion along the way.
Marion
102.7 mi in|~2h 4m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Lincoln Highway
37 mi
42m
Northeast Hubbell Road
28 mi
32m
73rd Street
26.8 mi
30m
Marion Airport Road
24.1 mi
27m
IA 100
9.4 mi
11m
Northeast 94th Avenue
8.5 mi
13m
Collins Road Northeast
5.9 mi
7m
South Main Street
1.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 37 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Monticello, 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
1.8 mi·4 min·West 1st Street
4
Continue on Northeast 94th Avenue
8.5 mi·13 min·Northeast 94th Avenue
5
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
28 mi·32 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
7
Merge onto US 30
37 mi·42 min·Lincoln Highway
8
Continue on US 30
27 mi·30 min·73rd Street
9
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
10
Continue on IA 100
9.4 mi·11 min·IA 100
11
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 100
5.9 mi·7 min·Collins Road Northeast
12
Turn left onto US 151; IA 13
1.1 mi·1 min·US 151; IA 13
13
Turn right onto US 151
24 mi·27 min·Marion Airport Road
14
Continue on US 151
0.9 mi·1 min·200th Avenue
15
Take the exit onto US 151 Business
0.3 mi·48 sec·US 151 Business
16
Turn left onto US 151 Business
0.4 mi·40 sec·Amber Road
17
Continue on US 151 Business
1.9 mi·3 min·South Main Street
18
Turn left onto IA 38
0.2 mi·16 sec·East 1st Street
19
Turn right onto North Maple Street
73 ft·3 sec·North Maple Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Maple Street
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 73.9 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37 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 33 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73.9 miles or 1h 31m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monticello, 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 147.8 miles and 3h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 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 Lincoln Highway for about 37 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 73.9 mi from Ankeny, IA
· 1h 31m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.3
0
$15.52
$7.09
Efficient EV
37
0
$12.93
$5.91
EV Truck/SUV
59.1
0
$20.69
$9.46
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Ankeny, IA
Morning
in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
10:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Sunny
WNW 13 to 21 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Monticello, IA
Morning
in Monticello on Saturday
Local time
10:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Vinton, IA
74 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
6 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
3h 1m 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 Ankeny, IA to Monticello, IA covers 147.8 miles and takes about 3h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road, 73rd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 73.9 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 $23.11 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 straightforward 3h 1m drive. You will face about 11 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 38.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Ankeny, IA to Monticello, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Marion along the way.
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.
