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Trip from Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 29m

Distance

149.3 mi

240 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 19m ★
6 AM
2h 29m
8 AM
2h 49m
10 AM
2h 36m
12 PM
2h 34m
3 PM
2h 37m
5 PM
2h 48m
8 PM
2h 23m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Iowa, United States

Boone, IA

Wikimedia Commons

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

Council Bluffs, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 149.3 miles and takes about 2h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Story Street, 220th Street, H Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.34 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

74.7 miles from Boone, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 29m. Total distance: 149.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 29m 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 2h 29m drive with frequent turns across 149.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Story 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. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is easy. At 2h 29m 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 Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Story Street
220th Street
H Avenue
N Avenue
4th Street
Nile Kinnick Drive North
I-80 west
I 80 West

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Story Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Boone, IA and Council Bluffs, IA.

1

Start on Mamie Eisenhower Avenue

66 ft · 5 sec · Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
2

Turn right onto Story Street

1.7 mi · 3 min · Story Street
3

Turn right onto 220th Street

7.3 mi · 8 min · 220th Street
4

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 1 min
5

Turn left onto H Avenue

12 mi · 15 min · H Avenue
6

Continue on N Avenue

7.0 mi · 9 min · N Avenue
7

Continue on 4th Street

0.5 mi · 58 sec · 4th Street
8

Continue on N Avenue

9.1 mi · 12 min · N Avenue
9

Continue on Nile Kinnick Drive North

1.6 mi · 3 min · Nile Kinnick Drive North
10

Continue on N Avenue

4.1 mi · 5 min · N Avenue
11

Take the exit right toward I-80 west: Council Bluffs

82 mi · 1 hr 28 min · I-80 west: Council Bluffs
12

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska

19 mi · 20 min · I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
13

Take the exit slight right toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland

0.3 mi · 31 sec · US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
14

Turn straight onto East Kanesville Boulevard

2.8 mi · 4 min · East Kanesville Boulevard
15

Continue on East Broadway

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Broadway
16

Continue on East Kanesville Boulevard

0.9 mi · 2 min · East Kanesville Boulevard
17

Continue on West Broadway

0.4 mi · 51 sec · West Broadway
18

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 74.7 miles from Boone, IA, or about 1h 14m 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 33 miles or 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 74.7 miles or 1h 14m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 2m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Council Bluffs, 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 149.3 miles and 2h 29m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Boone, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 74.7 mi from Boone, IA · 1h 14m into the drive

city in Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Atlantic, IA

75 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

Dallas Center, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Atlantic, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 74.7 miles from Boone, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Council Bluffs, IA

The final approach into Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs, 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

$23.34 one way

$46.68 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 52 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $25.63 $51.26
premium $4.89 $28.73 $57.46
diesel $5.61 $32.96 $65.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 52.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 44.8 0 $15.68 $7.17
Efficient EV 37.3 0 $13.06 $5.97
EV Truck/SUV 59.7 0 $20.90 $9.56

Gas CO2

52 kg

EV CO2

17 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

Boone, IA

Evening in Boone on Friday

Local time

8:19 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Council Bluffs, IA

Evening in Council Bluffs on Friday

Local time

8:19 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°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

5 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 29m 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 Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 149.3 miles and takes about 2h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Story Street, 220th Street, H Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 74.7 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 $23.34 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 Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is easy. At 2h 29m 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 Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Boone, IA to Council Bluffs, 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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