Trip from Ankeny, IA to Le Mars, IA

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

4h 10m

Distance

208.4 mi

335 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$33

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min

4 AM

3h 57m ★

6 AM

4h 10m

8 AM

4h 36m

10 AM

4h 19m

12 PM

4h 17m

3 PM

4h 21m

5 PM

4h 35m

8 PM

4h 2m

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

Le Mars, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Ankeny, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 208.4 miles and takes about 4h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Southwest Walnut Street, West 1st Street, US 20 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.58 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

104.2 miles from Ankeny, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 5m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 10m. Total distance: 208.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 10m drive with frequent turns across 208.4 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.

Southwest Walnut Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

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.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 10m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ankeny, IA to Le Mars, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Southwest Walnut Street	—	—
West 1st Street	—	—
US 20 West	—	—
Lee Avenue	—	—
Shamrock Avenue	—	—
320th Street	—	—
Highway 140	—	—
C38	—	—

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Southwest Walnut Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Le Mars, IA.

Start on Southwest 3rd Street

49 ft · 4 sec · Southwest 3rd Street

Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Southwest Walnut Street

At the end of the road, turn right onto West 1st Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · West 1st Street

Take the ramp slight left

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Merge slight left

50 mi · 53 min

Take the exit slight right toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge

0.3 mi · 57 sec · US 20 West: Fort Dodge

Merge slight left

121 mi · 2 hr 21 min

Turn right onto Lee Avenue

5.4 mi · 7 min · Lee Avenue

Continue on Shamrock Avenue

2.0 mi · 2 min · Shamrock Avenue

Turn left onto 320th Street

2.0 mi · 2 min · 320th Street

Turn right onto State Highway 140

11 mi · 15 min · State Highway 140

Turn left onto C38

2.0 mi · 2 min · C38

Continue on 210th Street

2.0 mi · 2 min · 210th Street

Continue on C38

1.0 mi · 1 min · C38

Turn right onto County Road K64

4.0 mi · 5 min · County Road K64

Turn left onto State Highway 3

4.7 mi · 6 min · State Highway 3

Continue on Lincoln Street Northeast

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Street Northeast

Continue on 5th Avenue Northeast

0.1 mi · 18 sec · 5th Avenue Northeast

Turn right onto 1st Street Northeast

0.3 mi · 59 sec · 1st Street Northeast

Arrive at your destination

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 104.2 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 2h 5m into the drive.

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 46 miles or 55m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 104.2 miles or 2h 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 3h 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Le Mars, 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 208.4 miles and 4h 10m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 104.2 mi from Ankeny, IA · 2h 5m into the drive

city and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fort Dodge, IA

104 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 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fort Dodge, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 104.2 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Le Mars, IA

The final approach into Le Mars, 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 Le Mars, IA.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.58 one way

$65.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 73 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$35.77	$71.55
premium	$4.89	$40.10	$80.21
diesel	$5.61	$46.01	$92.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$33

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$58–$83

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 72.9 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	62.5	0	$21.88	$10.00
Efficient EV	52.1	0	$18.24	$8.34
EV Truck/SUV	83.4	1	$29.18	$13.34

Gas CO2

73 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

Late night in Ankeny on Friday

Local time

1:05 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Le Mars, IA

Late night in Le Mars on Friday

Local time

1:05 AM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

20 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 10m 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 Le Mars, IA covers 208.4 miles and takes about 4h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Southwest Walnut Street, West 1st Street, US 20 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 104.2 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 $32.58 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 10m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ankeny, IA to Le Mars, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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

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