Origin
Council Bluffs, IA
Afternoon in Council Bluffs on Friday
Local time
2:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Council Bluffs, IA to Alta, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 47m
Distance
118.8 mi
191 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 37m
★
6 AM
2h 48m
8 AM
3h 9m
10 AM
2h 55m
12 PM
2h 53m
3 PM
2h 56m
5 PM
3h 8m
8 PM
2h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Council Bluffs, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Alta, IA
Tara Winstead
Trip Overview
The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Alta, IA covers 118.8 miles and takes about 2h 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on County Road F50, Fox Avenue, State Highway 39 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.4 miles on County Road F50. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.57 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
59.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 47m. Total distance: 118.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Alta, IA covers 118.8 miles and takes about 2h 47m, 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 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
County Road F50 is the longest continuous segment at about 17.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 16th Street.
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 47m 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 0.4 miles (North 16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 17.5 miles (CR G12 / Desoto Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 16th Street
Turn right onto North 16th Street
Navigation decision point
4
17.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Loveland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Loveland
4
17.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
CR G12 / Desoto Avenue
Turn left onto CR G12 / Desoto Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
17.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
CR L20 / Old Lincoln Highway
At end of road, turn left onto CR L20 / Old Lincoln Highway
Navigation decision point
5
111.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 36m in
|
CR C65 / 630th Street
At end of road, turn left onto CR C65 / 630th 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 Council Bluffs, IA to Alta, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Loveland along the way.
Loveland
17.1 mi in
|
~20m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| County Road F50 | 17.4 mi | 24m |
| Fox Avenue | 17.2 mi | 23m |
| State Highway 39 | 17.1 mi | 23m |
| South 6th Street | 17 mi | 24m |
| I 29 | 14.9 mi | 16m |
| Lincoln Highway | 7.5 mi | 10m |
| Gard Avenue | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| Highway 7 | 3.3 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
County Road F50
— 17.4 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and Alta, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Broadway
2
Turn right onto North 16th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North 16th Street
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
4
Merge onto I 29
15 mi
·
16 min
·
I 29
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward Loveland
6
Turn left onto CR G12
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Desoto Avenue
7
At end of road, turn left onto CR L20
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
·
Old Lincoln Highway
8
Continue on CR L20
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Loess Hills Trail
9
Continue on South 6th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South 6th Street
10
Turn right onto US 30
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Erie Street
11
Continue on US 30
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Lincoln Highway
12
Continue on US 30
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
South Maple Avenue
13
Turn right onto US 30
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 7th Street
14
Continue on US 30
17 mi
·
24 min
·
County Road F50
15
Continue on US 30
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 3rd Street
16
Continue on US 30
17 mi
·
23 min
·
South 6th Street
17
Turn straight onto US 30; US 59; IA 141
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
260th Street
18
Continue on US 59; IA 141
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
19
Turn right onto IA 39
17 mi
·
23 min
·
State Highway 39
20
Continue on IA 39
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
400th Street
21
Continue on IA 39
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Fox Avenue
22
Continue on IA 39
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Des Moines Street
23
Continue on IA 39
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Fox Avenue
24
Turn right onto US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
220th Street
25
Turn left onto CR M43
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Gard Avenue
26
Continue on CR M43
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
90th Avenue
27
At end of road, turn left onto CR C65
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
630th Street
28
Turn right onto 85th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
85th Avenue
29
Continue on IA 110
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 110
30
Continue on IA 110
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
State Highway 110
31
Continue on IA 110
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
90th Avenue
32
Turn left onto IA 7
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Highway 7
33
Turn right onto 60th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
60th Avenue
34
Arrive at destination
60th Avenue
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.4 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 26 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.4 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alta, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs, IA
This is one driving day of about 118.8 miles and 2h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Council Bluffs, 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 County Road F50 for about 17.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 59.4 mi from Council Bluffs, IA · 1h 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
59 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 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 59.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alta, IA
The final approach into Alta, 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 Alta, 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
$18.57 one way
$37.15 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.39 | $40.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $22.86 | $45.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.23 | $52.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.6 | 0 | $12.47 | $5.70 |
| Efficient EV | 29.7 | 0 | $10.40 | $4.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.5 | 0 | $16.63 | $7.60 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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
Alta, IA
Afternoon in Alta on Friday
Local time
2:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Logan, IA
59 mi in
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 47m 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 Council Bluffs, IA to Alta, IA covers 118.8 miles and takes about 2h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are County Road F50, Fox Avenue, State Highway 39. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 59.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.57 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 47m 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 0.4 miles (North 16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 17.5 miles (CR G12 / Desoto Avenue): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Alta, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Loveland 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.
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