Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
23.9 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Norwalk, IA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Ankeny, IA to Norwalk, IA covers 23.9 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Southwest 9th Street, I 35, John MacVicar Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.5 miles on Southwest 9th Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.74 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 23.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
The drive from Ankeny, IA to Norwalk, IA covers 23.9 miles and takes about 39m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 23.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
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 1.9 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto West 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ankeny, IA to Norwalk, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Village along the way.
Village
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest 9th Street | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| I 35 | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| West 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| County Road G14 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| County Road R63 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Norwalk, IA.
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street
At end of road, turn right onto West 1st Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn left onto East 6th Street
Continue on Southeast 6th Street
Turn right onto Scott Avenue
Continue on Southeast 1st Street
Continue on Indianola Road
Turn left onto Bancroft Street
Turn right onto Southwest 9th Street
Continue on CR R63
Turn right onto County Road G14
Continue on CR G14
Turn right onto Main Street
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$3.74 one way
$7.47 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.10 | $8.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.60 | $9.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.28 | $10.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.09 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
11:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Norwalk on Saturday
Local time
11:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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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