The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Red Oak, IA covers 238.6 miles and takes about 4h 54m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Lincoln Highway, Marshalltown Boulevard for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 67.9 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.30 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
119.3 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 22m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 54m. Total distance: 238.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Red Oak, IA covers 238.6 miles and takes about 4h 54m, 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 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 67.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 238.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I-380 north, IA 27 north, IA 100 west: Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 north, IA 27 north, IA 100 west: W...
5
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left toward I-380 south, IA 27 south, IA 100 west: Iowa City
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south, IA 100 west: I...
5
11.1 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the exit toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshall...
7
110.6 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward I 80 west, US 65 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 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
7
129.1 mi into trip|~2h 33m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Red Oak, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Audubon.
Des Moines
75.9 mi in|~1h 30m
Audubon
191.4 mi in|~3h 40m|via US 6
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
67.9 mi
1h 13m
Lincoln Highway
37.3 mi
43m
Marshalltown Boulevard
33.7 mi
39m
73rd Street
24.4 mi
28m
110 Street
14 mi
20m
US 65
13 mi
15m
550th Street
10 mi
14m
White Pole Road
9 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 67.9 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Red Oak, 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
0.5 mi·40 sec·Avenue of the Saints
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward IA 100
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·20 sec
Toward I-380 north, IA 27 north, IA 100 west: Waterloo
8
Turn left
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south, IA 100 west: Iowa City
9
Merge onto IA 100
8.2 mi·9 min·Collins Road Northeast
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown
11
Merge onto US 30; US 218
2.4 mi·2 min·16th Avenue Southwest
12
Continue on US 30; US 218
24 mi·28 min·73rd Street
13
Continue on US 30
37 mi·43 min·Lincoln Highway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines
15
Turn left onto IA 330
34 mi·39 min·Marshalltown Boulevard
16
Continue on US 65; IA 330
0.7 mi·58 sec·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
17
Take the exit onto US 65
13 mi·15 min·US 65
Toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 80; I 35
5.6 mi·6 min·I 80; I 35
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
62 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi·48 sec·US 6
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
21
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.5 mi·9 min·650th Street
22
Turn right onto US 6; US 71
3.5 mi·6 min·East 7th Street
23
Continue on US 6; IA 83
0.1 mi·20 sec·White Pole Road
24
Continue on US 6
0.6 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
25
Continue on US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest 7th Street
26
Continue on US 6
8.9 mi·13 min·White Pole Road
27
Turn left onto IA 48
5.3 mi·7 min·550th Street
28
Continue on IA 48
1.0 mi·1 min·Adair Street
29
Continue on IA 48
4.8 mi·7 min·550th Street
30
Continue on IA 48
0.9 mi·1 min·M Avenue
31
Continue on IA 48
14 mi·20 min·110 Street
32
Turn left onto West Hammond Street
0.4 mi·1 min·West Hammond Street
33
Turn right onto North 7th Street
300 ft·15 sec·North 7th Street
34
Turn right onto East Reed Street
329 ft·14 sec·East Reed Street
35
Arrive at destination
East Reed Street
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 119.3 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 2h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.9 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 52 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.3 miles or 2h 22m 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Red Oak, 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 238.6 miles and 4h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 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 I 80 for about 67.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 119.3 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA
· 2h 22m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.6
0
$25.05
$11.45
Efficient EV
59.7
0
$20.88
$9.54
EV Truck/SUV
95.4
1
$33.40
$15.27
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 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 18, 2026
Origin
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
9:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Red Oak, IA
Morning
in Red Oak on Saturday
Local time
9:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
NW 10 to 21 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
7 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
4h 54m 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 Red Oak, IA covers 238.6 miles and takes about 4h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, Lincoln Highway, Marshalltown Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 119.3 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 $37.30 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 demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 238.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Red Oak, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Audubon.
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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
