Origin
Dubuque, IA
Afternoon in Dubuque on Saturday
Local time
12:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dubuque, IA to Forest City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
204.4 mi
329 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$32
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 55m
★
6 AM
4h 8m
8 AM
4h 34m
10 AM
4h 17m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 33m
8 PM
4h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dubuque, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Forest City, IA
Nino Souza
Trip Overview
The drive from Dubuque, IA to Forest City, IA covers 204.4 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dodge Street, Avenue of the Saints, 330th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 87 miles on Dodge Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.96 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
102.2 miles from Dubuque, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dodge Street | 87 mi | 1h 43m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 87 mi | 1h 39m |
| 330th Street | 8 mi | 10m |
| I 380 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| 310th Street | 5 mi | 6m |
| Leo P Rooff Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Balsam Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| 300th Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Dodge Street
— 87 mi, about 1h 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dubuque, IA and Forest City, IA.
1
Start on Central Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Central Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 189A
Toward US 61 South, US 151 South
3
Turn right onto IA 946
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Locust Street Conn
4
Turn right onto US 20
87 mi
·
1 hr 43 min
·
Dodge Street
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 380
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
6
Continue on US 218
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
West Washington Expressway
7
Continue on US 218
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
8
Continue on US 218
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West Washington Street
9
Continue on US 218
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
10
Take the exit onto US 218
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 218
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
US 218
Toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
12
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
87 mi
·
1 hr 39 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
14
Turn left onto CR B20
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
300th Street
15
Turn right onto CR S28
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Grouse Avenue
16
Continue on CR B20
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
310th Street
17
Turn right onto CR S14
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Balsam Avenue
18
Turn left onto CR B14
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
330th Street
19
Turn right onto US 69
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
US 69
20
Turn left onto East J Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East J Street
21
Turn left onto South 4th Street
358 ft
·
15 sec
·
South 4th Street
22
Arrive at destination
South 4th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 102.2 miles from Dubuque, IA, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87 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 45 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102.2 miles or 2h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Forest City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dubuque, 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 Dubuque, IA
This is one driving day of about 204.4 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Dubuque, 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.
The longest stretch is on Dodge Street for about 87 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
102 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 45 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 102.2 miles from Dubuque, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Dodge Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 87 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 204.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward US 61 South, US 151 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 189A
Toward US 61 South, US 151 South
6
87.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 45m in
|
I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
6
97.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 58m in
|
US 218
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218 toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
4
185 mi into trip
|
~3h 39m in
|
CR B20 / 300th Street
Turn left onto CR B20 / 300th Street
Navigation decision point
5
204.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 7m in
|
South 4th Street
Turn left onto South 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.96 one way
$63.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
72 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $35.09 | $70.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $39.33 | $78.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $45.13 | $90.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 61.3 | 0 | $21.46 | $9.81 |
| Efficient EV | 51.1 | 0 | $17.88 | $8.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 81.8 | 1 | $28.62 | $13.08 |
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (67% 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
Forest City, IA
Afternoon in Forest City on Saturday
Local time
12:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
4h 7m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
204.4 mi in 4h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 87 mi on Dodge Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 87.7 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 97.2 miles (US 218): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 7m. Total distance: 204.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (5%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 87 miles on Dodge Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 87.7 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 97.2 miles (US 218): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Forest City, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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