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Trip from Ankeny, IA to Webster City, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 16m

Distance

65.9 mi

106 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 11m ★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Polk County, Iowa, United States

Ankeny, IA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Iowa, United States

Webster City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Ankeny, IA to Webster City, IA covers 65.9 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35, US 20, West 1st Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.6 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.30 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 65.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 16m highway drive covering 65.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and US 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 49.6 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 11 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 49.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. 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 1h 16m drive. You will face about 8 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 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

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

4
51.6 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
4
64.2 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in

Take the exit toward IA 17 South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward IA 17 South
4
65.9 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in | CR D20 / 2nd Street

Turn left onto CR D20 / 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35 49.6 mi 53m
US 20 12.3 mi 14m
West 1st Street 1.5 mi 3m
Superior Street 1.3 mi 2m
Southwest Walnut Street 0.2 mi <1m
2nd Street <0.1 mi <1m
Southwest 3rd Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35 — 49.6 mi, about 53m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Webster City, 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

50 mi · 53 min · I 35
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 56 sec
Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
7

Merge onto US 20

12 mi · 14 min · US 20
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward IA 17 South
9

Turn right onto Superior Street

1.3 mi · 2 min · Superior Street
10

Turn left onto CR D20

60 ft · 1 sec · 2nd Street
11

Arrive at destination

CR D20

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 33 mi from Ankeny, IA · 38m into the drive

city in Story County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ames, IA

33 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.

Popular next leg

Ames, IA to Webster City, IA

45.9 mi · 55m

Pacing Suggestions

Ames, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gilbert, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Webster City, IA

The final approach into Webster City, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.30 one way

$20.61 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $11.31 $22.62
premium $4.89 $12.68 $25.36
diesel $5.61 $14.55 $29.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.8 0 $6.92 $3.16
Efficient EV 16.5 0 $5.77 $2.64
EV Truck/SUV 26.4 0 $9.23 $4.22

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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

Morning in Ankeny on Saturday

Local time

6:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Webster City, IA

Morning in Webster City on Saturday

Local time

6:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

22 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

1h 16m 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 Webster City, IA covers 65.9 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 35, US 20, West 1st Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 33 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 $10.30 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.

This is a straightforward 1h 16m drive. You will face about 8 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 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

The route from Ankeny, IA to Webster City, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Webster City, IA to Ankeny, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

65.5 mi 1h 16m

Explore more options from Ankeny, IA or browse trips ending in Webster City, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.