Origin
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
2:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
38.6 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Melcher-Dallas, IA
Talena Reese
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA covers 38.6 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East University Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, East 6th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 38.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 56m drive with frequent turns across 38.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East University Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is easy. At 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East University Avenue | — | — |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | — | — |
| East 6th Street | — | — |
| Southeast 6th Street | — | — |
| Indianola Avenue | — | — |
| Southeast 14th Street | — | — |
| Southridge Boulevard | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, IA and Melcher-Dallas, IA.
1
Start on East University Avenue
482 ft
·
39 sec
·
East University Avenue
2
Turn uturn onto East University Avenue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
East University Avenue
3
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
4
Continue on East 6th Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
5
Continue on Southeast 6th Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast 6th Street
6
Turn left onto Indianola Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Indianola Avenue
7
Turn slight right onto Southeast 14th Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
8
Continue on Southridge Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Southridge Boulevard
9
Take the ramp slight right
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
10
Merge slight left onto Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
11
Take the exit slight right toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
19 mi
·
22 min
·
IA 5 South: Carlisle
12
Continue on County Road S45
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road S45
13
Keep slight left to continue on County Road S45
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
County Road S45
14
Continue on 1st Street Northwest
463 ft
·
15 sec
·
1st Street Northwest
15
Turn left onto B Street Northwest
367 ft
·
10 sec
·
B Street Northwest
16
Turn right onto Northeast Main Street
463 ft
·
9 sec
·
Northeast Main Street
17
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.3 mi from Des Moines, IA · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.3 miles from Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Melcher-Dallas, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Melcher-Dallas, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.03 one way
$12.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.63 | $13.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.43 | $14.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.52 | $17.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Melcher-Dallas, IA
Late night in Melcher-Dallas on Saturday
Local time
2:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Norwalk, IA
19 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
56m 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 Melcher-Dallas, IA covers 38.6 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East University Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, East 6th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.3 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 $6.03 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.
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is easy. At 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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