The drive from Des Moines, IA to Denver, IA covers 122.3 miles and takes about 2h 44m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Northeast Hubbell Road, Sanford Avenue, US 20 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.2 miles on Northeast Hubbell Road.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.16 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
61.2 miles from Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 44m. Total distance: 122.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 44m drive with frequent turns across 122.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northeast Hubbell Road is the longest continuous segment at about 35.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East University Avenue.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 27 significant decision points across 122.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 27 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East University Avenue
Turn uturn onto East University Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
5.1 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the exit toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 137A-B
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
9
5.4 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
8
9.1 mi into trip|~13m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
7
108.1 mi into trip|~2h 23m in
Take the exit toward US 218 South: Waterloo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 185
Toward US 218 South: Waterloo
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Des Moines, IA and Denver, IA, road signs point toward Bondurant, Cr D18: Cedar Falls and Broadway Street: Airport.
Bondurant
9.1 mi in|~13m|via US 65
Cr D18: Cedar Falls
99.2 mi in|~2h 10m
Broadway Street: Airport
109.7 mi in|~2h 25m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Northeast Hubbell Road
35.2 mi
41m
Sanford Avenue
15.9 mi
21m
US 20
11.2 mi
12m
Logan Avenue
6.9 mi
8m
240th Street
6.3 mi
9m
Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
8m
N Avenue
4.4 mi
6m
160th Street
4.3 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Northeast Hubbell Road
— 35.2 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, IA and Denver, IA.
1
Start on East University Avenue
481 ft·39 sec·East University Avenue
2
Turn uturn onto East University Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·East University Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 69
0.4 mi·57 sec·East 14th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward US 69, East 14th Street, East 15th STreet
5
Merge onto I 235
3.3 mi·4 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 137A-BToward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, DavenportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 137AToward I 80 East: DavenportUse the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·I 80
9
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
11
Continue on US 65; IA 330
35 mi·41 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
12
Turn left onto IA 330
5.9 mi·8 min·Marsh Avenue
13
Continue on IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·South Main Street
14
Continue on IA 330
4.3 mi·5 min·160th Street
15
Turn left onto IA 14
16 mi·21 min·Sanford Avenue
16
Turn right onto IA 14; IA 175
6.3 mi·9 min·240th Street
17
Turn left onto M Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·M Avenue
18
Continue on County Road T37
1.0 mi·1 min·County Road T37
19
Turn sharp right onto 210th Street
1.0 mi·1 min·210th Street
20
Turn left onto IA 14
4.4 mi·6 min·N Avenue
21
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·58 sec
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
22
Merge onto US 20
11 mi·12 min·US 20
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward CR D18: Cedar Falls
24
Turn left onto Grundy Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Grundy Road
25
Continue on University Avenue
3.5 mi·4 min·University Avenue
26
Enter roundabout onto Greenhill Road
8 ft·0 sec·Greenhill Road
27
Continue on Greenhill Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Greenhill Road
28
Turn left onto IA 27; IA 58
2.7 mi·3 min·Avenue of the Saints
29
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 185Toward US 218 South: WaterlooUse the slight right lane.
30
Merge onto US 218
0.7 mi·48 sec·Leo P Rooff Expressway
31
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward Broadway Street: Airport
32
Turn left onto Airport Boulevard
0.3 mi·35 sec·Airport Boulevard
33
Turn right onto West Airline Highway
3.0 mi·5 min·West Airline Highway
34
Turn left onto US 63
6.9 mi·8 min·Logan Avenue
35
Continue on US 63
1.3 mi·1 min·Larrabee Avenue
36
Turn right onto State Street
0.8 mi·1 min·State Street
37
Turn left onto CR C50
40 ft·0 sec·West Fayette Street
38
Arrive at destination
CR C50
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 61.2 miles from Des Moines, IA, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.2 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 27 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.2 miles or 1h 19m 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 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Denver, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA
This is one driving day of about 122.3 miles and 2h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Des Moines, 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 Northeast Hubbell Road for about 35.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 61.2 mi from Des Moines, IA
· 1h 19m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.16 one way
$36.31 round trip
$3.77/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.25
$20.48
$40.96
premium
$4.65
$22.41
$44.82
diesel
$5.30
$25.54
$51.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.7
0
$12.84
$5.87
Efficient EV
30.6
0
$10.70
$4.89
EV Truck/SUV
48.9
0
$17.12
$7.83
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Des Moines, IA
Morning
in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
8:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Mostly Clear
NW 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Denver, IA
Morning
in Denver on Saturday
Local time
8:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
11 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 44m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Denver, IA covers 122.3 miles and takes about 2h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northeast Hubbell Road, Sanford Avenue, US 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61.2 miles from Des Moines, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.16 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 27 significant decision points across 122.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Des Moines, IA and Denver, IA, road signs point toward Bondurant, Cr D18: Cedar Falls and Broadway Street: Airport.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
