Origin
Des Moines, IA
Morning in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
10:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Moines, IA to Red Oak, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 32m
Distance
118.6 mi
191 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 23m
★
6 AM
2h 33m
8 AM
2h 53m
10 AM
2h 40m
12 PM
2h 38m
3 PM
2h 41m
5 PM
2h 52m
8 PM
2h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Red Oak, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Red Oak, IA covers 118.6 miles and takes about 2h 32m 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 $18.54 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
59.3 miles from Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 118.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 32m drive with frequent turns across 118.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 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 Red Oak, IA is easy. At 2h 32m 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 Red Oak, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East University Avenue | — | — |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | — | — |
| East 6th Street | — | — |
| I-235 west | — | — |
| John MacVicar Freeway | — | — |
| US 6 | — | — |
| 650th Street | — | — |
| East 7th Street | — | — |
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 Red Oak, 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
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
East 6th Street
5
Take the ramp right toward I-235 west
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I-235 west
6
Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
7
Merge slight right
62 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
9
Turn left onto 650th Street
6.5 mi
·
9 min
·
650th Street
10
Turn right onto East 7th Street
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
11
Continue on White Pole Road
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
White Pole Road
12
Continue on West 7th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 7th Street
13
Continue on Southwest 7th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest 7th Street
14
Continue on White Pole Road
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
White Pole Road
15
Turn left onto 550th Street
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
550th Street
16
Continue on Adair Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Adair Street
17
Continue on 550th Street
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
550th Street
18
Continue on M Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
M Avenue
19
Continue on 110 Street
14 mi
·
20 min
·
110 Street
20
Turn left onto West Hammond Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Hammond Street
21
Turn right onto North 7th Street
299 ft
·
15 sec
·
North 7th Street
22
Turn right onto East Reed Street
328 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Reed Street
23
Arrive at your destination
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 59.3 miles from Des Moines, IA, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
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 26 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.3 miles or 1h 16m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Red Oak, 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 118.6 miles and 2h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 59.3 mi from Des Moines, IA · 1h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
59 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 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 59.3 miles from Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Red Oak, IA
The final approach into Red Oak, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Red Oak, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.54 one way
$37.08 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.36 | $40.72 |
| premium | $4.89 | $22.82 | $45.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.19 | $52.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.6 | 0 | $12.45 | $5.69 |
| Efficient EV | 29.7 | 0 | $10.38 | $4.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.4 | 0 | $16.60 | $7.59 |
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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
Red Oak, IA
Morning in Red Oak on Saturday
Local time
10:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
24 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 32m 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 Red Oak, IA covers 118.6 miles and takes about 2h 32m 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 59.3 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 $18.54 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.
The drive from Des Moines, IA to Red Oak, IA is easy. At 2h 32m 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 Red Oak, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Des Moines, IA to Red Oak, 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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