Origin
Council Bluffs, IA
Morning in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
10:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
50.3 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Council Bluffs, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Red Oak, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA covers 50.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South 16th Street, 5th Avenue, South 7th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 50.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 14m drive with frequent turns across 50.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South 16th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA is easy. At 1h 14m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 16th Street | — | — |
| 5th Avenue | — | — |
| South 7th Street | — | — |
| South Expressway | — | — |
| I 29 South | — | — |
| US 34 | — | — |
| Highway 34 | — | — |
| North Broadway Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South 16th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and Red Oak, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Broadway
2
Turn left onto South 16th Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South 16th Street
3
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Avenue
4
Turn right onto South 7th Street
466 ft
·
16 sec
·
South 7th Street
5
Turn slight left onto South Expressway
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Expressway
6
Take the ramp slight right toward I 29 South, I 80 East: Des Moines, Kansas City
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 29 South, I 80 East: Des Moines, Kansas City
7
Keep slight right to continue on I 29 South: Kansas City
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 29 South: Kansas City
8
Merge slight left
12 mi
·
13 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward US 34, US 275 South: South Bellevue, Glenwood
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
US 34, US 275 South: South Bellevue, Glenwood
10
Keep slight left
0.7 mi
·
1 min
11
Merge slight left onto US Highway 34
31 mi
·
46 min
·
US Highway 34
12
Turn right onto North Broadway Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broadway Street
13
Turn left onto West Hammond Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Hammond Street
14
Turn right onto North 7th Street
299 ft
·
15 sec
·
North 7th Street
15
Turn right onto East Reed Street
328 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Reed Street
16
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.2 mi from Council Bluffs, IA · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.2 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Red Oak, IA
The final approach into Red Oak, 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
$7.86 one way
$15.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.63 | $17.27 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.68 | $19.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.11 | $22.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.04 | $3.22 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Red Oak, IA
Morning in Red Oak on Saturday
Local time
10:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Glenwood, IA
25 mi in
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
21 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 14m 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 Red Oak, IA covers 50.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South 16th Street, 5th Avenue, South 7th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.2 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 $7.86 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.
The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA is easy. At 1h 14m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Council Bluffs, IA to Red Oak, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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