Origin
Belle Plaine, IA
Afternoon in Belle Plaine on Sunday
Local time
2:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
85.6 mi
138 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
Belle Plaine, IA
Tomás Asurmendi
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 85.6 miles and takes about 1h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 11th Avenue, Highway 21, B Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.00 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
42.8 miles from Belle Plaine, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 42m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 25m drive with frequent turns across 85.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
11th Avenue 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 25m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 11th Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 21 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| B Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 220th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 235 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John MacVicar Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East 6th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Village | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
11th Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belle Plaine, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on 7th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue
2
Continue on 11th Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
11th Avenue
3
Continue on State Highway 21
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 21
4
Keep slight right to continue on State Highway 21
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 21
5
Continue on B Avenue
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
B Avenue
6
Turn right
4.2 mi
·
5 min
7
Turn left onto 220th Street
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
220th Street
8
Take the ramp left
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
9
Merge slight left
64 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
10
Take the exit slight left toward I 235 West: Des Moines
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 235 West: Des Moines
11
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
12
Take the exit slight right toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
13
Keep slight right to continue on East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
14
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
15
Turn left onto East University Avenue
98 ft
·
9 sec
·
East University Avenue
16
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42.8 miles from Belle Plaine, IA, or about 42m 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 80 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.8 miles or 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Belle Plaine, 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 Belle Plaine, IA
This is one driving day of about 85.6 miles and 1h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Belle Plaine, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 42.8 mi from Belle Plaine, IA · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 42.8 miles from Belle Plaine, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
The final approach into Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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
$13.00 one way
$26.00 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $14.33 | $28.67 |
| premium | $4.80 | $16.16 | $32.32 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $19.02 | $38.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.7 | 0 | $8.99 | $4.11 |
| Efficient EV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.49 | $3.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.2 | 0 | $11.98 | $5.48 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Destination
Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
2:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
44°F
Indiana, IA
43 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
3 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 25m 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 Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 85.6 miles and takes about 1h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 11th Avenue, Highway 21, B Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.8 miles from Belle Plaine, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.00 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.
The drive from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 25m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Belle Plaine, IA to Des Moines, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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