Origin
Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
2:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Moines, IA to Granger, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
21.3 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Granger, IA covers 21.3 miles and takes about 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Northwest Granger Drive, Southeast Grimes Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.3 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| Northwest Granger Drive | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Southeast Grimes Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Northwest 114th Street | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| 2nd Avenue | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Northeast Grimes Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| Northwest 2nd Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East University Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 7.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, IA and Granger, IA.
1
Start on East University Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East University Avenue
2
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
2nd Avenue
3
Continue on IA 415
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
4
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 35 South, I 80 West
5
Merge onto I 80; I 35
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 127
Toward IA 141 West: Urbandale, Grimes
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto IA 141
195 ft
·
3 sec
·
Northwest Urbandale Drive
8
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
9
Continue on IA 141
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
10
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest 114th Street
11
Continue on IA 141
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest Granger Drive
12
Turn right onto Sycamore Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Sycamore Street
13
Arrive at destination
Sycamore Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 12 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
2nd Avenue
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left toward I 35 South, I 80 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, I 80 West
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 80; I 35
Merge onto I 80; I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward IA 141 West: Urbandale, Grimes
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 127
Toward IA 141 West: Urbandale, Grimes
3
12 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
IA 141 / Northwest Urbandale Drive
Turn right onto IA 141 / Northwest Urbandale Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.33 one way
$6.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.66 | $7.31 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.10 | $8.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.70 | $9.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Granger, IA
Afternoon in Granger on Saturday
Local time
2:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
30m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
21.3 mi in 30m — 34% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 80.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near 2nd Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.4 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Des Moines, IA to Granger, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Grimes along the way.
Grimes
11.6 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center (along with opera, ballet, and other performing arts), and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 21.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.4 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Granger, IA before heading back.
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 EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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