The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to New Hampton, IA covers 293.7 miles and takes about 5h 36m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, I 35, US 18 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 128.2 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.92 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
146.8 miles from Council Bluffs, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 44m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 36m. Total distance: 293.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 36m highway drive covering 293.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and I 35. The longest continuous stretch is about 128.2 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 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 128.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 35. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 119.2 miles in near I 80.
Driving Effort6/10
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 293.7 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 119.2 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 237.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
119.2 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
8
133.6 mi into trip|~2h 29m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, De...
5
237.3 mi into trip|~4h 21m in
Take the exit toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Cha...
5
271.3 mi into trip|~5h 1m in|US 218 Business
Take the exit onto US 218 Business toward US 218 Business, CR B35: Charles City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 218 Business, CR B35: Charles City
5
271.5 mi into trip|~5h 2m in|US 218 Business / 185th Street
Turn left onto US 218 Business / 185th 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.
Between Council Bluffs, IA and New Hampton, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Charles City and Cr B35: Charles City.
Minneapolis
119.2 mi in|~2h 13m|via I 80
Kansas City
119.2 mi in|~2h 13m|via I 80
Des Moines
133.6 mi in|~2h 29m|via I 35
Charles City
237.3 mi in|~4h 21m
Cr B35: Charles City
271.3 mi in|~5h 1m|via US 218 Business
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
128.2 mi
2h 18m
I 35
103.6 mi
1h 51m
US 18
32.9 mi
38m
200th Street
11 mi
15m
200th Avenue
5 mi
6m
West Kanesville Boulevard
4.2 mi
7m
Gilbert Street
2.5 mi
4m
West Broadway
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 128.2 mi, about 2h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and New Hampton, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
0.4 mi·1 min·West Broadway
2
Continue on West Broadway
0.6 mi·1 min·West Broadway
3
Continue on West Kanesville Boulevard
4.2 mi·7 min·West Kanesville Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 80
114 mi·2 hr 2 min·I 80
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
14 mi·16 min·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
104 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 35
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
9
Merge onto US 18; IA 27
33 mi·38 min·US 18; IA 27
10
Take the exit onto US 218 Business
0.3 mi·42 sec·US 218 Business
Toward US 218 Business, CR B35: Charles City
11
Turn left onto US 218 Business
0.3 mi·24 sec·185th Street
12
Turn straight onto US 218 Business
2.5 mi·4 min·Gilbert Street
13
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·Main Street
14
Turn right onto Clark Street
0.2 mi·33 sec·Clark Street
15
Turn left onto US 18
0.1 mi·23 sec·Brantingham Street
16
Continue on US 18
0.7 mi·1 min·4th Avenue
17
Continue on US 18
0.3 mi·49 sec·5th Avenue
18
Continue on US 18
5.0 mi·6 min·200th Avenue
19
Continue on US 18
11 mi·15 min·200th Street
20
Turn right onto Kenwood Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Kenwood Avenue
21
At end of road, turn left onto 210th Street
0.3 mi·35 sec·210th Street
22
Continue on West Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West Main Street
23
Turn right onto US 63 Business
52 ft·1 sec·South Linn Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
US 63 Business
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 146.8 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, or about 2h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 128.2 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 65 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.8 miles or 2h 44m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Hampton, 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 293.7 miles and 5h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 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 I 80 for about 128.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 146.8 mi from Council Bluffs, IA
· 2h 44m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.92 one way
$91.83 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg103 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$50.41
$100.83
premium
$4.89
$56.52
$113.04
diesel
$5.61
$64.85
$129.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
88.1
1
$30.84
$14.10
Efficient EV
73.4
0
$25.70
$11.75
EV Truck/SUV
117.5
1
$41.12
$18.80
Gas CO2
103 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Council Bluffs, IA
Morning
in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
8:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
New Hampton, IA
Morning
in New Hampton on Saturday
Local time
8:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
14 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 36m 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 Council Bluffs, IA to New Hampton, IA covers 293.7 miles and takes about 5h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, I 35, US 18. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 146.8 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 $45.92 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 293.7 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 119.2 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 237.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Council Bluffs, IA and New Hampton, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Charles City and Cr B35: Charles City.
