Origin
Ankeny, IA
Morning in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
8:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ankeny, IA to Stuart, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
48.6 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Stuart, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ankeny, IA to Stuart, IA covers 48.6 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Northwest 2nd Street, Southwest State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 48.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 59m highway drive covering 48.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and Northwest 2nd Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 41 miles on I 80.
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 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 41 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,211 ft
816 ft
Total Climb
553 ft
Total Descent
335 ft
Highest Point
1,211 ft
~48.6 mi in
Elevation Range
395 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Northwest 2nd Street. 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
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 59m drive. You will face about 6 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 0.4 miles (Southwest Ordnance Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Southwest Walnut Street
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Southwest Ordnance Road
At end of road, turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
Navigation decision point
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 80; I 35
Merge onto I 80; I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
18 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
5
47.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward CR P28: Stuart, Panora
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CR P28: Stuart, Panora
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 41 mi | 45m |
| Northwest 2nd Street | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Southwest State Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Southwest Ordnance Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Division Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Walnut Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Southwest 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 41 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Stuart, IA.
1
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft
·
7 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
2
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Walnut Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Ordnance Road
4
Turn left onto Southwest State Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest State Street
5
Continue on IA 415
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
7
Merge onto I 80; I 35
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
30 mi
·
32 min
·
I 80
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward CR P28: Stuart, Panora
10
Turn right onto CR P28
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Division Street
11
Arrive at destination
CR P28
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.3 mi from Ankeny, IA · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Stuart, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Stuart, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.60 one way
$15.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.34 | $16.68 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.35 | $18.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.73 | $21.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Stuart, IA
Morning in Stuart on Saturday
Local time
8:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
59m 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 Stuart, IA covers 48.6 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, Northwest 2nd Street, Southwest State 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 24.3 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 $7.60 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 59m drive. You will face about 6 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 0.4 miles (Southwest Ordnance Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Ankeny, IA to Stuart, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 816 ft to 1,211 ft elevation with about 553 ft of total climbing.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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