Origin
Conrad, IA
Afternoon in Conrad on Friday
Local time
1:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Conrad, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
54.4 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Conrad, IA
cottonbro studio
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Conrad, IA to Ames, IA covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lincoln Highway, Sanford Avenue, Marsh Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.8 miles on Lincoln Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.50 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (5%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 11m drive with frequent turns across 54.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lincoln Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 27.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR D67 / West Center 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 54.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 (CR D67 / West Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (IA 14 / Sanford Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles (IA 330 / North Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR D67 / West Center Street
Turn right onto CR D67 / West Center Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IA 14 / Sanford Avenue
Turn left onto IA 14 / Sanford Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
12.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
IA 330 / North Main Street
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 330 / North Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
4
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
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 Conrad, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Usda Veterinary Labs along the way.
Usda Veterinary Labs
51.4 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Highway | 27.8 mi | 32m |
| Sanford Avenue | 7 mi | 9m |
| Marsh Avenue | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| 160th Street | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| East 13th Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| IA 330 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| 330th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 27.8 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Conrad, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on North Main Street
74 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto CR D67
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
West Center Street
3
Continue on CR D67
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
330th Street
4
Turn left onto IA 14
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Sanford Avenue
5
Turn right onto IA 330
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
160th Street
6
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 330
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
7
Continue on IA 330
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Marsh Avenue
8
Turn right onto IA 330
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
IA 330
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
10
Merge onto US 30
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Lincoln Highway
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
12
Merge onto I 35
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
14
Turn left onto East 13th Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 13th Street
15
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.2 mi from Conrad, IA · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Conrad, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames, IA
The final approach into Ames, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.50 one way
$17.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.34 | $18.68 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.47 | $20.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.01 | $24.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Ames, IA
Afternoon in Ames on Friday
Local time
1:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
22 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
1h 11m 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 Conrad, IA to Ames, IA covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lincoln Highway, Sanford Avenue, Marsh Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.2 miles from Conrad, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.50 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 54.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 (CR D67 / West Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (IA 14 / Sanford Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles (IA 330 / North Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Conrad, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Usda Veterinary Labs along the way.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Ames, IA
More from Conrad, IA
More trips to Ames, IA
Explore more options from Conrad, IA or browse trips ending in Ames, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.