The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 272.8 miles and takes about 5h 23m 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, Highway 20, State Highway 140 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 208.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.65 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
136.4 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 36m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 23m. Total distance: 272.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 23m drive with frequent turns across 272.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 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 208.6 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 49.9 miles in near US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 23m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 237.4 miles (L21 / Lee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 244.8 miles (C66 / 320th Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
4
237.4 mi into trip|~4h 33m in|L21 / Lee Avenue
Turn right onto L21 / Lee Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
244.8 mi into trip|~4h 44m in|C66 / 320th Street
Turn left onto C66 / 320th Street
Navigation decision point
4
246.8 mi into trip|~4h 47m in|IA 140 / State Highway 140
Turn right onto IA 140 / State Highway 140
Navigation decision point
4
257.8 mi into trip|~5h 2m in|CR C38 / C38
Turn left onto CR C38 / C38
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
208.6 mi
3h 57m
Highway 20
19 mi
22m
State Highway 140
11 mi
15m
160th Street
6.4 mi
7m
Lee Avenue
5.4 mi
7m
State Highway 3
4.7 mi
6m
County Road K64
4 mi
5m
C38
3 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 208.6 mi, about 3h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Le Mars, 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
160 mi·3 hr 4 min·Avenue of the Saints
7
Continue on US 20
6.4 mi·7 min·160th Street
8
Continue on US 20
1.9 mi·2 min·United States Highway 20
9
Continue on US 20
19 mi·22 min·Highway 20
10
Turn right onto L21
5.4 mi·7 min·Lee Avenue
11
Continue on Shamrock Avenue
2.0 mi·2 min·Shamrock Avenue
12
Turn left onto C66
2.0 mi·2 min·320th Street
13
Turn right onto IA 140
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 140
14
Turn left onto CR C38
2.0 mi·2 min·CR C38
15
Continue on CR C38
2.0 mi·2 min·210th Street
16
Continue on CR C38
1.0 mi·1 min·CR C38
17
Turn right onto County Road K64
4.0 mi·5 min·County Road K64
18
Turn left onto IA 3
4.7 mi·6 min·State Highway 3
19
Continue on IA 3
0.7 mi·1 min·Lincoln Street Northeast
20
Continue on IA 3
0.1 mi·18 sec·5th Avenue Northeast
21
Turn right onto 1st Street Northeast
0.3 mi·58 sec·1st Street Northeast
22
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 136.4 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 2h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 208.6 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 60 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.4 miles or 2h 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 17m
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 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 272.8 miles and 5h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Cedar Rapids, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 208.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 136.4 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA
· 2h 36m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
81.8
1
$28.64
$13.09
Efficient EV
68.2
0
$23.87
$10.91
EV Truck/SUV
109.1
1
$38.19
$17.46
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Late night
in Cedar Rapids on Friday
Local time
2:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Le Mars, IA
Late night
in Le Mars on Friday
Local time
2:11 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
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
5h 23m 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 Rapids, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 272.8 miles and takes about 5h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Highway 20, State Highway 140. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 136.4 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 $42.65 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 5h 23m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 237.4 miles (L21 / Lee Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 244.8 miles (C66 / 320th Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Cedar Rapids, IA to Le Mars, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not 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.
Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the
methodology page.
