Origin
Decorah, IA
Morning in Decorah on Monday
Local time
11:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decorah, IA to Ames, IA
Drive Time
2h 56m
Distance
173.1 mi
279 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 46m
★
6 AM
2h 57m
8 AM
3h 19m
10 AM
3h 5m
12 PM
3h 3m
3 PM
3h 6m
5 PM
3h 18m
8 PM
2h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decorah, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ames, IA
Anton Belitskiy
Trip Overview
The drive from Decorah, IA to Ames, IA covers 173.1 miles and takes about 2h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Winnebago Street, West Broadway Street, South Mechanic Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.29 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86.6 miles from Decorah, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 56m drive with frequent turns across 173.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Winnebago 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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Decorah, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 2h 56m 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 Decorah, IA to Ames, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Winnebago Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Mechanic Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Short Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 9 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Charles Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 24 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Winnebago Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decorah, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on East Main Street
394 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto Winnebago Street
341 ft
·
17 sec
·
Winnebago Street
3
Turn right onto West Broadway Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Broadway Street
4
Turn left onto South Mechanic Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mechanic Street
5
Turn slight right onto Short Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Short Street
6
Turn right onto State Highway 9
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
State Highway 9
7
Turn left
9.6 mi
·
13 min
8
Turn right onto South Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Street
9
Turn left onto Charles Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Charles Street
10
Continue on State Highway 24
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
State Highway 24
11
Continue on Highway 24
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Highway 24
12
Continue on State Highway 24
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 24
13
Continue on 1st Street Southeast
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
1st Street Southeast
14
Continue on State Highway 24
20 mi
·
28 min
·
State Highway 24
15
Continue on East Main Street
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
East Main Street
16
Continue on 210th Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
210th Street
17
Turn right onto Kenwood Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Kenwood Avenue
18
Turn left onto 200th Street
11 mi
·
15 min
·
200th Street
19
Continue on 200th Avenue
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
200th Avenue
20
Continue on 5th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
5th Avenue
21
Turn straight onto 4th Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue
22
Continue on Brantingham Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Brantingham Street
23
Turn right onto Clark Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Clark Street
24
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
North Main Street
25
Turn right onto Gilbert Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Gilbert Street
26
Turn straight onto 185th Street
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
185th Street
27
Take the ramp right
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
28
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
29
Take the exit slight left toward I 35 South: Des Moines
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35 South: Des Moines
30
Continue on I 35 South: Des Moines
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 35 South: Des Moines
31
Merge slight left
76 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
32
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
33
Turn right onto East 13th Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East 13th Street
34
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 86.6 miles from Decorah, IA, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.6 miles or 1h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ames, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Decorah, 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 Decorah, IA
This is one driving day of about 173.1 miles and 2h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Decorah, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 86.6 mi from Decorah, IA · 1h 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
87 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 86.6 miles from Decorah, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames, IA
The final approach into Ames, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Ames, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.29 one way
$52.58 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
61 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $28.98 | $57.97 |
| premium | $4.80 | $32.68 | $65.36 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $38.46 | $76.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 51.9 | 0 | $18.18 | $8.31 |
| Efficient EV | 43.3 | 0 | $15.15 | $6.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 69.2 | 0 | $24.23 | $11.08 |
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 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
Ames, IA
Morning in Ames on Monday
Local time
11:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
42°F
Waterloo, IA
87 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
4 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
2h 56m 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 Decorah, IA to Ames, IA covers 173.1 miles and takes about 2h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Winnebago Street, West Broadway Street, South Mechanic Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86.6 miles from Decorah, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.29 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Decorah, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 2h 56m 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 Decorah, IA to Ames, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Decorah, IA to Ames, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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