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Trip from Curlew, IA to Mallard, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

11m

Distance

6.5 mi

11 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 10m ★
6 AM
0h 11m
8 AM
0h 13m
10 AM
0h 12m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 12m
5 PM
0h 13m
8 PM
0h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Curlew, IA, IA

Curlew, IA

patrice schoefolt

Downtown Mallard, IA, IA

Mallard, IA

Veronika Andrews

Trip Overview

Curlew, IA to Mallard, IA is 6.5 miles and takes about 11 minutes via 460th Street/460th Avenue/430th Avenue, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Midwest, specifically Iowa, making it a very straightforward and quick journey. You'll be navigating local roads for the entire duration, so don't expect any highway driving. It's the kind of trip you might take to visit a nearby town or connect to another route, and it's certainly manageable in a single day. Plan for a simple drive with minimal time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
460th Street 3 mi 5m
460th Avenue 3 mi 4m
430th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Inman Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
South East Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: 460th Street — 3 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Curlew, IA and Mallard, IA.

1

Start on this road

161 ft · 17 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto 430th Avenue

0.2 mi · 37 sec · 430th Avenue
3

Turn right onto 460th Street

3.0 mi · 5 min · 460th Street
4

Turn right onto IA 4

3.0 mi · 4 min · 460th Avenue
5

Turn right onto Inman Avenue

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Inman Avenue
6

Turn left onto South East Street

515 ft · 22 sec · South East Street
7

Arrive at destination

South East Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 430th Avenue

Turn left onto 430th Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | 460th Street

Turn right onto 460th Street

Navigation decision point

3
3.3 mi into trip | ~6m in | IA 4 / 460th Avenue

Turn right onto IA 4 / 460th Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
6.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | Inman Avenue

Turn right onto Inman Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
6.4 mi into trip | ~10m in | South East Street

Turn left onto South East Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.02 one way

$2.03 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 2 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $1.12 $2.23
premium $4.89 $1.25 $2.50
diesel $5.61 $1.44 $2.87

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$1

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2 0 $0.68 $0.31
Efficient EV 1.6 0 $0.57 $0.26
EV Truck/SUV 2.6 0 $0.91 $0.42

Gas CO2

2 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (50% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Curlew, IA

Afternoon in Curlew on Saturday

Local time

1:24 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Mallard, IA

Afternoon in Mallard on Saturday

Local time

1:24 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is characterized by frequent turns, as indicated by its 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile. With 0% highway share, you'll be on smaller county roads for the entire 6.5 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 3 miles on 460th Street. Expect a local road experience throughout, with the route weaving through agricultural areas or smaller communities. The changes in road names like 460th Street, 460th Avenue, and 430th Avenue mark the progression of this journey.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3 mi on 460th Street.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 430th Avenue.

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 11m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (430th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (460th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (IA 4 / 460th Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

This 6.5-mile drive is an absolute breeze for a same-day round trip, taking just about 11 minutes each way. You'll have plenty of time for whatever else your weekend holds.

Family Friendly

With a drive this short (6.5 miles, 11 minutes), it's perfect for families with young kids. The turn-heavy nature is manageable for a quick local hop.

Solo Traveler

At a mere 6.5 miles and 11 minutes, this route is trivially short for a solo traveler. You'll barely break a sweat, let alone need a break.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

This 6.5-mile route is practically a practice drive! The 11-minute duration and local road focus make it ideal for getting comfortable behind the wheel.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 3 miles on 460th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (430th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (460th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (IA 4 / 460th Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mallard, IA before heading back.

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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Explore more options from Curlew, IA or browse trips ending in Mallard, IA.

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