The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 218.2 miles and takes about 4h 24m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 20, State Highway 140, Lee Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 175.4 miles on US 20.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
109.1 miles from Cedar Falls, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 24m. Total distance: 218.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 4h 24m highway drive covering 218.2 miles, with most of the trip on US 20 and State Highway 140. The longest continuous stretch is about 175.4 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 25 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 175.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and State Highway 140. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 24m drive. You will face about 14 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 (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.8 miles (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1 miles (University Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
1 mi into trip|~2m in|University Avenue
Turn right onto University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
2.8 mi into trip|~4m in|University Avenue
Enter roundabout onto University Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
7.1 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
175.4 mi
3h 23m
State Highway 140
11 mi
15m
Lee Avenue
5.4 mi
7m
University Avenue
5.3 mi
7m
State Highway 3
4.7 mi
6m
County Road K64
4 mi
5m
C38
3 mi
4m
210th Street
2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 175.4 mi, about 3h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Falls, IA and Le Mars, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
52 ft·8 sec·Main Street
2
Continue on Main Street
61 ft·1 sec·Main Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
104 ft·2 sec·Main Street
4
Continue on Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
5
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
78 ft·1 sec·Main Street
6
Continue on Main Street
0.2 mi·21 sec·Main Street
7
Turn right onto University Avenue
1.7 mi·2 min·University Avenue
8
Enter roundabout onto University Avenue
124 ft·2 sec·University Avenue
9
Continue on University Avenue
3.5 mi·4 min·University Avenue
10
Continue on Grundy Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Grundy Road
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·54 sec
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto US 20
175 mi·3 hr 23 min·US 20
13
Turn right onto L21
5.4 mi·7 min·Lee Avenue
14
Continue on Shamrock Avenue
2.0 mi·2 min·Shamrock Avenue
15
Turn left onto C66
2.0 mi·2 min·320th Street
16
Turn right onto IA 140
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 140
17
Turn left onto CR C38
2.0 mi·2 min·CR C38
18
Continue on CR C38
2.0 mi·2 min·210th Street
19
Continue on CR C38
1.0 mi·1 min·CR C38
20
Turn right onto County Road K64
4.0 mi·5 min·County Road K64
21
Turn left onto IA 3
4.7 mi·6 min·State Highway 3
22
Continue on IA 3
0.7 mi·1 min·Lincoln Street Northeast
23
Continue on IA 3
0.1 mi·18 sec·5th Avenue Northeast
24
Turn right onto 1st Street Northeast
0.3 mi·58 sec·1st Street Northeast
25
Arrive at destination
1st Street Northeast
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 109.1 miles from Cedar Falls, IA, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 175.4 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 48 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.1 miles or 2h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Le Mars, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cedar Falls, 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 Cedar Falls, IA
This is one driving day of about 218.2 miles and 4h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Cedar Falls, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 175.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 109.1 mi from Cedar Falls, IA
· 2h 9m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.00 one way
$68.01 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$37.33
$74.67
premium
$4.89
$41.86
$83.71
diesel
$5.61
$48.02
$96.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
6 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota
Fort Dodge, IA
EV Connect
9 DCFC
Flying J 572
Williams, IA
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
115 S. 29th Street
Fort Dodge, IA
CHARGELAB
4 DCFC
Kwik Star 927 Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge, IA
CHARGELAB
4 DCFC
Karl Chevrolet Webster City IA
Webster City, IA
RED_E
2 DCFC
COMMUNITY MOTOR CO. INC
CEDAR FALLS, IA
EV Connect
1 DCFC
EV Connect: 2
CHARGELAB: 2
eVgo Network: 1
RED_E: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.5
0
$22.91
$10.47
Efficient EV
54.6
0
$19.09
$8.73
EV Truck/SUV
87.3
1
$30.55
$13.96
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 16, 2026
Origin
Cedar Falls, IA
Late night
in Cedar Falls on Friday
Local time
3:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Le Mars, IA
Late night
in Le Mars on Friday
Local time
3:22 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 24m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 218.2 miles and takes about 4h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, State Highway 140, Lee Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 109.1 miles from Cedar Falls, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.11 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 24m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.8 miles (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1 miles (University Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Cedar Falls, IA to Le Mars, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
