The drive from Davenport, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 353.2 miles and takes about 6h 58m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, US 6, Highway 20 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 231 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $55.22 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
176.6 miles from Davenport, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 24m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 58m. Total distance: 353.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 58m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 58m drive with frequent turns across 353.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 231 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 around 0.7 miles in near Marquette Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 58m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 15 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Marquette Street
Turn right onto Marquette Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Turn left onto US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.7 mi into trip|~10m in|US 6 / West Kimberly Road
At end of road, turn left onto US 6 / West Kimberly Road
Navigation decision point
5
58.6 mi into trip|~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
6
58.9 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar...
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 Davenport, IA to Le Mars, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Waterloo along the way.
Waterloo
58.9 mi in|~1h 11m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
231 mi
4h 23m
US 6
51 mi
56m
Highway 20
19 mi
22m
State Highway 140
11 mi
15m
160th Street
6.4 mi
7m
Lee Avenue
5.4 mi
7m
State Highway 3
4.7 mi
6m
County Road K64
4 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 231 mi, about 4h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davenport, IA and Le Mars, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Marquette Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Marquette Street
3
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
0.5 mi·1 min·West Locust Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 6 Hist
2.5 mi·5 min·Hickory Grove Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
2.9 mi·4 min·West Kimberly Road
6
Take the ramp onto US 6
51 mi·56 min·US 6
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
9
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
71 mi·1 hr 18 min·Avenue of the Saints
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
160 mi·3 hr 4 min·Avenue of the Saints
11
Continue on US 20
6.4 mi·7 min·160th Street
12
Continue on US 20
1.9 mi·2 min·United States Highway 20
13
Continue on US 20
19 mi·22 min·Highway 20
14
Turn right onto L21
5.4 mi·7 min·Lee Avenue
15
Continue on Shamrock Avenue
2.0 mi·2 min·Shamrock Avenue
16
Turn left onto C66
2.0 mi·2 min·320th Street
17
Turn right onto IA 140
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 140
18
Turn left onto CR C38
2.0 mi·2 min·CR C38
19
Continue on CR C38
2.0 mi·2 min·210th Street
20
Continue on CR C38
1.0 mi·1 min·CR C38
21
Turn right onto County Road K64
4.0 mi·5 min·County Road K64
22
Turn left onto IA 3
4.7 mi·6 min·State Highway 3
23
Continue on IA 3
0.7 mi·1 min·Lincoln Street Northeast
24
Continue on IA 3
0.1 mi·18 sec·5th Avenue Northeast
25
Turn right onto 1st Street Northeast
0.3 mi·58 sec·1st Street Northeast
26
Arrive at destination
1st Street Northeast
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 176.6 miles from Davenport, IA, or about 3h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 231 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 78 miles or 1h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 176.6 miles or 3h 24m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Le Mars, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Davenport, 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 Davenport, IA
This is one driving day of about 353.2 miles and 6h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 78 miles from Davenport, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 231 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 176.6 mi from Davenport, IA
· 3h 24m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$55.22 one way
$110.44 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg124 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$60.63
$121.26
premium
$4.89
$67.97
$135.94
diesel
$5.61
$77.98
$155.96
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 123.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
106
1
$37.09
$16.95
Efficient EV
88.3
1
$30.90
$14.13
EV Truck/SUV
141.3
1
$49.45
$22.60
Gas CO2
124 kg
EV CO2
41 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 15, 2026
Origin
Davenport, IA
Afternoon
in Davenport on Friday
Local time
1:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Le Mars, IA
Afternoon
in Le Mars on Friday
Local time
1:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
21 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
6h 58m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Davenport, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 353.2 miles and takes about 6h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 6, Highway 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 176.6 miles from Davenport, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $55.22 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 58m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 15 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Davenport, IA to Le Mars, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Waterloo along the way.
