Origin
Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in Des Moines on Friday
Local time
12:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Moines, IA to Belle Plaine, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 45m
Distance
88.1 mi
142 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 38m
★
6 AM
1h 46m
8 AM
2h 2m
10 AM
1h 51m
12 PM
1h 50m
3 PM
1h 52m
5 PM
2h 1m
8 PM
1h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Belle Plaine, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Belle Plaine, IA covers 88.1 miles and takes about 1h 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, B Avenue, 380th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.7 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.77 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.
Midpoint
44 miles from Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 45m. Total distance: 88.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 45m highway drive covering 88.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and B Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 63.7 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 63.7 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
996 ft
789 ft
Total Climb
367 ft
Total Descent
410 ft
Highest Point
996 ft
~50.3 mi in
Elevation Range
207 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and B Avenue. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East University Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 88.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.8 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 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...
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
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 Belle Plaine, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and What Cheer.
Council Bluffs
5.1 mi in
|
~8m
Davenport
5.1 mi in
|
~8m
What Cheer
69.3 mi in
|
~1h 18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 63.7 mi | 1h 8m |
| B Avenue | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| 380th Avenue | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| 220th Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| State Highway 21 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| 11th Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 63.7 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, IA and Belle Plaine, 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
64 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
I 80
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward IA 21: Belle Plain, What Cheer
10
Turn right onto IA 21
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
220th Street
11
Turn right onto US 6
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
380th Avenue
12
Turn left onto IA 21
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
B Avenue
13
Continue on IA 21
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 21
14
Continue on IA 21
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
11th Avenue
15
Continue on IA 21
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
IA 21
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 44 miles from Des Moines, IA, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.7 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 19 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Belle Plaine, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Des Moines, IA
This is one driving day of about 88.1 miles and 1h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Des Moines, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 63.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 44 mi from Des Moines, IA · 50m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 44 miles from Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.7 miles.
Arriving in Belle Plaine, IA
The final approach into Belle Plaine, 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
$13.77 one way
$27.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
31 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $15.12 | $30.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $16.95 | $33.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.45 | $38.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.4 | 0 | $9.25 | $4.23 |
| Efficient EV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35.2 | 0 | $12.33 | $5.64 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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
Belle Plaine, IA
Afternoon in Belle Plaine on Friday
Local time
12:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Newton, IA
44 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
1h 45m 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 Belle Plaine, IA covers 88.1 miles and takes about 1h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, B Avenue, 380th Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 44 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 $13.77 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 88.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.8 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Des Moines, IA and Belle Plaine, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and What Cheer.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 789 ft to 996 ft elevation with about 367 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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