Trip from Decorah, IA to Ankeny, IA

Drive Time

4h 1m

Distance

193.1 mi

311 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min

4 AM

3h 48m ★

6 AM

4h 1m

8 AM

4h 27m

10 AM

4h 10m

12 PM

4h 8m

3 PM

4h 12m

5 PM

4h 26m

8 PM

3h 54m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Decorah, IA

Quang Nguyen Vinh

Ankeny, IA

András Nyemczovszky

Trip Overview

The drive from Decorah, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 193.1 miles and takes about 4h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35, Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 24 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 97.4 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.33 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

96.6 miles from Decorah, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 14m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 4h 1m highway drive covering 193.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and Avenue of the Saints. The longest continuous stretch is about 97.4 miles on I 35.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 97.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Avenue of the Saints. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Winnebago Street.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 193.1 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Winnebago Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 56.1 miles (Clark Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 20 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Winnebago Street

Turn left onto Winnebago Street

Navigation decision point

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Broadway Street

Turn right onto West Broadway Street

Navigation decision point

56.1 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in | Clark Street

Turn right onto Clark Street

Navigation decision point

93.9 mi into trip | ~2h 11m in | I 35

Merge onto I 35

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

191.2 mi into trip | ~3h 56m in

Take the exit toward 1st Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 92 Toward 1st Street

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 35	97.4 mi	1h 44m
Avenue of the Saints	32.9 mi	37m
State Highway 24	23.6 mi	33m
200th Street	11 mi	15m
US 52	9.6 mi	13m
200th Avenue	5 mi	6m
Gilbert Street	2.5 mi	4m
East Main Street	1.8 mi	4m

Longest stretch: I 35 — 97.4 mi, about 1h 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Decorah, IA and Ankeny, IA.

Start on East Main Street

392 ft · 22 sec · East Main Street

Turn left onto Winnebago Street

343 ft · 17 sec · Winnebago Street

Turn right onto West Broadway Street

0.2 mi · 25 sec · West Broadway Street

Turn left onto South Mechanic Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Mechanic Street

Turn slight right onto Short Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Short Street

Turn right onto IA 9

0.4 mi · 48 sec · State Highway 9

Turn left onto US 52

9.6 mi · 13 min · US 52

Turn right onto South Street

0.2 mi · 48 sec · South Street

Turn left onto IA 24

0.3 mi · 39 sec · Charles Street

Continue on IA 24

0.6 mi · 51 sec · State Highway 24

Continue on IA 24

0.6 mi · 50 sec · Highway 24

Continue on IA 24

2.7 mi · 3 min · State Highway 24

Continue on IA 24

0.3 mi · 42 sec · 1st Street Southeast

Continue on IA 24

20 mi · 28 min · State Highway 24

Continue on IA 24

1.7 mi · 4 min · East Main Street

Continue on 210th Street

0.3 mi · 39 sec · 210th Street

Turn right onto Kenwood Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Kenwood Avenue

Turn left onto US 18

11 mi · 15 min · 200th Street

Continue on US 18

5.0 mi · 6 min · 200th Avenue

Continue on US 18

0.3 mi · 49 sec · 5th Avenue

Turn straight onto US 18

0.7 mi · 1 min · 4th Avenue

Continue on US 18

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Brantingham Street

Turn right onto Clark Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Clark Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · North Main Street

Turn right onto US 218 Business

2.5 mi · 4 min · Gilbert Street

Turn straight onto US 218 Business

0.2 mi · 13 sec · 185th Street

Take the ramp onto US 218 Business

0.3 mi · 41 sec · US 218 Business

Merge onto US 18; US 218; IA 27

33 mi · 37 min · Avenue of the Saints

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min

Toward I 35 South: Des Moines

Continue on this road

0.5 mi · 32 sec · this road

Toward I 35 South: Des Moines

Merge onto I 35

97 mi · 1 hr 44 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Exit 92 Toward 1st Street

Keep slight right at fork

301 ft · 9 sec

Turn straight onto East 1st Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · East 1st Street

Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Southwest Walnut Street

Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street

48 ft · 2 sec · Southwest 3rd Street

Arrive at destination

Southwest 3rd Street

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 96.6 miles from Decorah, IA, or about 2h 14m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.4 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 80 miles or 1h 55m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 96.6 miles or 2h 14m 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 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ankeny, 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 193.1 miles and 4h 1m.

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.

The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 97.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 96.6 mi from Decorah, IA · 2h 14m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mason City, IA

97 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

Mason City, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mason City, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 96.6 miles from Decorah, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.4 miles.

Arriving in Ankeny, IA

The final approach into Ankeny, 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 Ankeny, 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

$29.33 one way

$58.66 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 68 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$32.33	$64.67
premium	$4.80	$36.45	$72.91
diesel	$5.64	$42.90	$85.80

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 67.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	57.9	$20.28	$9.27
Efficient EV	48.3	$16.90	$7.72
EV Truck/SUV	77.2	$27.03	$12.36

Gas CO2

68 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Decorah, IA

Morning in Decorah on Monday

Local time

10:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ankeny, IA

Morning in Ankeny on Monday

Local time

10:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°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

3 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 1m 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 Decorah, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 193.1 miles and takes about 4h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 35, Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 24. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 96.6 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 $29.33 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.

The route from Decorah, IA to Ankeny, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Trip from Decorah, IA to Ankeny, IA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Ankeny, IA

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Decorah, IA

Ankeny, IA

Same local time

3 degrees cooler at arrival

4h 1m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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