Origin
Des Moines, IA
Morning in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
9:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Moines, IA to State Center, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
State Center, IA
Brett Sayles
Trip Overview
Des Moines, IA to State Center, IA is 46.9 miles and takes about 1 hour via Northeast Hubbell Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Midwest, specifically within Iowa, making it a convenient local journey. The drive is characterized by its many turns, so it's not a route for those seeking a straight shot. Plan for a single day to complete this trip, as it's easily manageable within a few hours.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive is a turn-heavy local experience, with only 15% of the route on highways. You'll navigate through a series of local roads, including Northeast Hubbell Road, Hart Avenue, and Lincoln Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.2 miles on Northeast Hubbell Road. Expect a dynamic driving experience with frequent changes in direction rather than long, monotonous stretches.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 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 28.2 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 Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese 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
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 69, East 14th Street, East 15th STreet
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 69, East 14th Street, East 15th STree...
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...
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 State Center, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Bondurant.
Council Bluffs
5.1 mi in
|
~8m
Davenport
5.1 mi in
|
~8m
Bondurant
9.1 mi in
|
~13m
|
via US 65
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Hubbell Road | 28.2 mi | 33m |
| Hart Avenue | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Lincoln Highway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| I 80 | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Northeast Hubbell Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| East University Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| US 65 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Northeast Hubbell Road
— 28.2 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, IA and State Center, 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-B
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
Use 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 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Use 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
28 mi
·
33 min
·
Northeast Hubbell Road
12
Turn left onto S62
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Hart Avenue
13
Turn left onto US 30
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Lincoln Highway
14
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue Southwest
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
3rd Avenue Southwest
15
Turn right onto 4th Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
4th Street Southwest
16
Turn left onto 1st Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
1st Avenue South
17
Turn right onto East Main Street
12 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.4 mi from Des Moines, IA · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in State Center, IA
The final approach into State Center, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.05 | $16.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.03 | $18.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
State Center, IA
Morning in State Center on Saturday
Local time
9:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
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
1h 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 Des Moines, IA to State Center, IA covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northeast Hubbell Road, Hart Avenue, Lincoln Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.4 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 $7.33 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Des Moines, IA and State Center, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Bondurant.
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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