Origin
Boone, IA
Late night in Boone on Saturday
Local time
5:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boone, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
48.1 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boone, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Boone, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 48.1 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35 Bus, 230th Street, 220th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.4 miles on I 35 Bus. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.14 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Boone, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 48.1 miles and takes about 58m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 Bus is the longest continuous segment at about 24.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Story Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.1 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Story Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.9 miles (I 35 Bus): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 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
|
Story Street
Turn right onto Story Street
Navigation decision point
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 35 Bus
Take the exit onto I 35 Bus toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moi...
5
42.2 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
47.1 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Ea...
8
47.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Aven...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 Bus | 24.4 mi | 27m |
| 230th Street | 11 mi | 12m |
| 220th Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| Story Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East University Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Mamie Eisenhower Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35 Bus
— 24.4 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boone, IA and Des Moines, 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
·
12 min
·
230th Street
5
Take the exit onto I 35 Bus
24 mi
·
27 min
·
I 35 Bus
Toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
7
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
11
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24 mi from Boone, IA · 29m 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
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Des Moines, 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
$7.14 one way
$14.28 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $8.05 | $16.11 |
| premium | $4.65 | $8.81 | $17.63 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $10.04 | $20.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
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
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
5:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
2 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
58m 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 Des Moines, IA covers 48.1 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35 Bus, 230th Street, 220th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24 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 $7.14 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.1 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Story Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.9 miles (I 35 Bus): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Boone, IA to Des Moines, 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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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