The drive from Davenport, IA to Leon, IA covers 236.6 miles and takes about 4h 28m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, US 6, I 35 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 102 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.99 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
118.3 miles from Davenport, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 15m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 28m. Total distance: 236.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 4h 28m highway drive covering 236.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and US 6. The longest continuous stretch is about 102 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 14 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 102 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 6. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Marquette Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 28m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 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 8 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
6
174.5 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
225 mi into trip|~4h 11m in
Take the exit toward Webb
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Webb
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
102 mi
1h 51m
US 6
64.9 mi
1h 11m
I 35
50.5 mi
54m
US 69
9.4 mi
12m
West Kimberly Road
2.9 mi
4m
Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi
5m
120th Street
1.2 mi
2m
Marquette Street
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 102 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davenport, IA and Leon, 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
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·US 6
7
Continue on I 80
102 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
51 mi·54 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward Webb
10
Turn left onto CR J14
0.2 mi·20 sec·120th Street
11
Continue on CR J14
0.7 mi·1 min·Line Street
12
Continue on 120th Street
1.0 mi·1 min·120th Street
13
Turn right onto US 69
9.4 mi·12 min·US 69
14
Arrive at destination
US 69
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 118.3 miles from Davenport, IA, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102 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 52 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 118.3 miles or 2h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leon, 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 236.6 miles and 4h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 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 I 80 for about 102 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 118.3 mi from Davenport, IA
· 2h 15m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71
0
$24.84
$11.36
Efficient EV
59.2
0
$20.70
$9.46
EV Truck/SUV
94.6
1
$33.12
$15.14
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Morning
in Davenport on Saturday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Leon, IA
Morning
in Leon on Saturday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Newton, IA
118 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
20 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
4h 28m 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 Davenport, IA to Leon, IA covers 236.6 miles and takes about 4h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, US 6, I 35. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 118.3 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 $36.99 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 is a straightforward 4h 28m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
The route from Davenport, IA to Leon, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
