Origin
Belmond, IA
Night in Belmond on Friday
Local time
10:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belmond, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
63.3 mi
102 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belmond, IA
Uiliam Nörnberg
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 63.3-mile drive from Belmond, IA to Ames, IA is easily manageable in just 1 hour and 21 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with about 76% of your travel time spent on major roads like I 35 and US 69. With an estimated fuel cost of around $9, this is an economical journey. Both your starting point in Belmond and your destination in Ames are within the Midwest region, so expect a familiar landscape. This trip is ideal for a quick transit between these two Iowa towns, requiring no overnight stops.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 63.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Primarily a highway-focused drive, you'll find yourself on I 35 and US 69 for the majority of this 63.3-mile trip. The road profile suggests a consistent pace, with 76% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter one significant uninterrupted stretch of 32.7 miles on I 35, offering a chance to settle in. While the exact transitions aren't detailed, the main roads indicate a fairly direct and efficient path with minimal detours through local scenery.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 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 32.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 69. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Main 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 1h 21m 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 (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (US 69): Navigation decision point; at 23.9 miles (CR D20 / 190th Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Main Street
Turn right onto East Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
8.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
US 69
Turn left onto US 69
Navigation decision point
4
23.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
CR D20 / 190th Street
Turn left onto CR D20 / 190th Street
Navigation decision point
4
27.3 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the ramp toward Somerset Road
Navigation decision point
Toward Somerset Road
4
60.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
I 35 Business
Take the exit onto I 35 Business toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 32.7 mi | 35m |
| US 69 | 15 mi | 20m |
| River Avenue South | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| 190th Street | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| East 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| I 35 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Avenue Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 32.7 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belmond, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on 2nd Avenue Northeast
61 ft
·
4 sec
·
2nd Avenue Northeast
2
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 69
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
River Avenue South
4
Turn left onto US 69
15 mi
·
20 min
·
US 69
5
Turn left onto CR D20
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
190th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward Somerset Road
7
Merge onto I 35
33 mi
·
35 min
·
I 35
8
Take the exit onto I 35 Business
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
9
Turn right onto I 35 Business
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East 13th Street
10
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.7 mi from Belmond, IA · 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.7 miles from Belmond, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames, IA
The final approach into Ames, 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
$9.90 one way
$19.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.87 | $21.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.18 | $24.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.98 | $27.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.3 | 0 | $8.86 | $4.05 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Ames, IA
Night in Ames on Friday
Local time
10:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
23 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
1h 21m 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 Belmond, IA to Ames, IA covers 63.3 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 69, River Avenue South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.7 miles from Belmond, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.90 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 21m 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 (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (US 69): Navigation decision point; at 23.9 miles (CR D20 / 190th Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Belmond, IA to Ames, 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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