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Trip from Cedar Rapids, IA to Iowa Falls, IA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 4m

Distance

106.2 mi

171 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

7 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 56m ★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 23m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 22m
8 PM
2h 0m

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

city in Hardin County, Iowa, United States

Iowa Falls, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Iowa Falls, IA covers 106.2 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, US 65, 32nd Street Northeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 98.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.60 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

53.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA

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

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 106.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (5%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 4m drive with frequent turns across 106.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 98.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Crystal Drive Northeast.

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 2h 4m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Crystal Drive Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (32nd Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

3
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Crystal Drive Northeast

Continue onto Crystal Drive Northeast

Navigation decision point

3
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 32nd Street Northeast

Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast

Navigation decision point

4
49.9 mi into trip | ~56m in | US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
100.2 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in

Take the exit toward US 65: Iowa Falls, Hubbard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 65: Iowa Falls, Hubbard
4
106.1 mi into trip | ~2h 4m in | Commercial Street

Turn left onto Commercial Street

Navigation decision point

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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Iowa Falls, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Hubbard along the way.

Hubbard

100.2 mi in | ~1h 54m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Avenue of the Saints 98.6 mi 1h 50m
US 65 5 mi 8m
32nd Street Northeast 1.2 mi 2m
Rocksylvania Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
Tiperary Drive Northeast 0.1 mi <1m
Commercial Street <0.1 mi <1m
Crystal Drive Northeast <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 98.6 mi, about 1h 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Iowa Falls, IA.

1

Start on Tiperary Drive Northeast

0.1 mi · 32 sec · Tiperary Drive Northeast
2

Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast

184 ft · 13 sec · Crystal Drive Northeast
3

Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast

1.2 mi · 2 min · 32nd Street Northeast
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
5

Merge onto I 380; IA 27

48 mi · 52 min · Avenue of the Saints
6

Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27

50 mi · 58 min · Avenue of the Saints
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Toward US 65: Iowa Falls, Hubbard
8

Turn right onto US 65

5.0 mi · 8 min · US 65
9

Turn right onto Rocksylvania Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Rocksylvania Avenue
10

Turn left onto Commercial Street

331 ft · 9 sec · Commercial Street
11

Arrive at destination

Commercial 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 53.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.6 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 23 miles or 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 53.1 miles or 1h 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 39m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Iowa Falls, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cedar Rapids, 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 Rapids, IA

This is one driving day of about 106.2 miles and 2h 4m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 98.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 53.1 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA · 1h into the drive

Downtown Elk Run Heights, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Elk Run Heights, IA

53 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

Vinton, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waterloo, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 53.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 98.6 miles.

Arriving in Iowa Falls, IA

The final approach into Iowa Falls, 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 Iowa Falls, 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

$16.60 one way

$33.21 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 37 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $18.23 $36.46
premium $4.89 $20.44 $40.87
diesel $5.61 $23.45 $46.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 37.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

7 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Tesla Supercharger

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Tesla

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Waterloo, Iowa

Tesla

1 DCFC

Blink Charging Station

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Blink

1 DCFC

Blink Charging Station

Center Point, Iowa

Blink

1 DCFC

Shell Recharge Charging Station

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Shell Recharge

1 DCFC

Shell Recharge Charging Station

Waterloo, Iowa

Shell Recharge

1 DCFC

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Other

1 DCFC

Tesla: 2 Blink: 2 Shell Recharge: 2 Other: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 31.9 0 $11.15 $5.10
Efficient EV 26.6 0 $9.29 $4.25
EV Truck/SUV 42.5 0 $14.87 $6.80

Gas CO2

37 kg

EV CO2

12 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Cedar Rapids, IA

Afternoon in Cedar Rapids on Thursday

Local time

2:10 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Iowa Falls, IA

Afternoon in Iowa Falls on Thursday

Local time

2:10 PM

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

1 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 4m 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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Iowa Falls, IA covers 106.2 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 65, 32nd Street Northeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.60 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 4m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Crystal Drive Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (32nd Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Iowa Falls, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Hubbard along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Iowa Falls, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

106.1 mi 2h 4m

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