The drive from Boone, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 12m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 20, I 35, 230th Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 53.9 miles on US 20.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.38 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.
Midpoint
55.6 miles from Boone, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 4m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 12m. Total distance: 111.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 12m highway drive covering 111.2 miles, with most of the trip on US 20 and I 35. The longest continuous stretch is about 53.9 miles on US 20.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 53.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and I 35. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Story Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 12m drive. You will face about 11 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 (Story Street): Navigation decision point; at 18.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 49.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Story Street
Turn right onto Story Street
Navigation decision point
4
18.3 mi into trip|~23m in
Take the exit toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
4
49.1 mi into trip|~56m in
Take the exit toward US 20 East: Waterloo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
5
108.5 mi into trip|~2h 7m in|University Avenue
Enter roundabout onto University Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
110.4 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Boone, IA to Cedar Falls, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Cr D18: Cedar Falls along the way.
Cr D18: Cedar Falls
103.5 mi in|~2h
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
53.9 mi
1h 2m
I 35
30.5 mi
32m
230th Street
11.4 mi
13m
University Avenue
5.3 mi
8m
220th Street
5.2 mi
6m
Story Street
1.7 mi
3m
Main Street
1 mi
1m
Grundy Road
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 53.9 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boone, IA and Cedar Falls, IA.
1
Start on Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
67 ft·5 sec·Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
2
Turn right onto Story Street
1.7 mi·3 min·Story Street
3
Turn left onto US 30
5.2 mi·6 min·220th Street
4
Continue on US 30
11 mi·13 min·230th Street
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
6
Merge onto I 35
30 mi·32 min·I 35
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
8
Merge onto US 20
54 mi·1 hr 2 min·US 20
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward CR D18: Cedar Falls
10
Turn left onto Grundy Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Grundy Road
11
Continue on University Avenue
3.5 mi·4 min·University Avenue
12
Enter roundabout onto University Avenue
88 ft·1 sec·University Avenue
13
Continue on University Avenue
1.7 mi·3 min·University Avenue
14
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi·20 sec·Main Street
15
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
77 ft·1 sec·Main Street
16
Continue on Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
17
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
74 ft·1 sec·Main Street
18
Continue on Main Street
21 ft·0 sec·Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
Main Street
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 55.6 miles from Boone, IA, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53.9 miles.
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 24 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.6 miles or 1h 4m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Falls, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Boone, 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 Boone, IA
This is one driving day of about 111.2 miles and 2h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Boone, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 53.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 55.6 mi from Boone, IA
· 1h 4m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.4
0
$11.68
$5.34
Efficient EV
27.8
0
$9.73
$4.45
EV Truck/SUV
44.5
0
$15.57
$7.12
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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 18, 2026
Origin
Boone, IA
Late night
in Boone on Saturday
Local time
12:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 17 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cedar Falls, IA
Late night
in Cedar Falls on Saturday
Local time
12:03 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
16 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
2h 12m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Boone, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, I 35, 230th 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 55.6 miles from Boone, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.38 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 2h 12m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Story Street): Navigation decision point; at 18.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 49.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Boone, IA to Cedar Falls, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Cr D18: Cedar Falls along the way.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
