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Trip from Eagle Grove, IA to West Des Moines, IA

Drive Time

2h 1m

Distance

99.6 mi

160 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 53m ★
6 AM
2h 1m
8 AM
2h 19m
10 AM
2h 8m
12 PM
2h 6m
3 PM
2h 8m
5 PM
2h 18m
8 PM
1h 56m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Eagle Grove, IA, IA

Eagle Grove, IA

Tom Fisk

Downtown West Des Moines, IA, IA

West Des Moines, IA

Daniel Dorfer

Trip Overview

The drive from Eagle Grove, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 99.6 miles and takes about 2h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35, US 20, John MacVicar Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.5 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.13 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

49.8 miles from Eagle Grove, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 2m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 2h 1m highway drive covering 99.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and US 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 54.5 miles on I 35.

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 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 54.5 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,208 ft 817 ft

Total Climb

537 ft

Total Descent

827 ft

Highest Point

1,208 ft

~29.3 mi in

Elevation Range

391 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 13.5 miles in near CR D20; IA 17; CR D20 / 220th Street.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 99.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 13.5 miles (CR D20; IA 17; CR D20 / 220th Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 33.1 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
13.5 mi into trip | ~20m in | CR D20; IA 17; CR D20 / 220th Street

At end of road, turn left onto CR D20; IA 17; CR D20 / 220th Street

Navigation decision point

5
15.6 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the ramp toward US 20 East

Navigation decision point

Toward US 20 East
5
33.1 mi into trip | ~44m in | I 35

Merge onto I 35

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
5
87.6 mi into trip | ~1h 44m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 235 West: Des Moines

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
97.8 mi into trip | ~1h 57m in

Take the exit toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights

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 4 Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35 54.5 mi 59m
US 20 16.4 mi 18m
John MacVicar Freeway 9.4 mi 12m
Stagecoach Road 7.7 mi 11m
State Highway 17 6.7 mi 9m
63rd Street 1.1 mi 2m
South Commercial Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Vine Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35 — 54.5 mi, about 59m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Eagle Grove, IA and West Des Moines, IA.

1

Start on West Broadway Street

30 ft · 8 sec · West Broadway Street
2

Turn left onto South Commercial Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Commercial Avenue
3

Continue on IA 17

6.7 mi · 9 min · State Highway 17
4

Continue on IA 17

5.9 mi · 8 min · Stagecoach Road
5

At end of road, turn left onto CR D20; IA 17; CR D20

0.4 mi · 37 sec · 220th Street
6

Turn right onto IA 17

1.7 mi · 2 min · Stagecoach Road
7

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward US 20 East
8

Merge onto US 20

16 mi · 18 min · US 20
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
10

Merge onto I 35

54 mi · 59 min · I 35
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
12

Continue on John MacVicar Freeway

9.4 mi · 12 min · John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 4 Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn left onto IA 28

1.1 mi · 2 min · 63rd Street
Use the none lane.
15

Turn right onto Vine Street

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Vine Street
16

Arrive at destination

Vine Street

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 49.8 miles from Eagle Grove, IA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 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 80 miles or 1h 35m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 49.8 miles or 1h 2m 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 37m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Eagle Grove, 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 Eagle Grove, IA

This is one driving day of about 99.6 miles and 2h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Eagle Grove, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 54.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 49.8 mi from Eagle Grove, IA · 1h 2m into the drive

Downtown Ames, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ames, IA

50 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

Ankeny, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ames, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.8 miles from Eagle Grove, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in West Des Moines, IA

The final approach into West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, 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

$15.13 one way

$30.26 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $16.68 $33.35
premium $4.80 $18.80 $37.60
diesel $5.64 $22.13 $44.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.9 0 $10.46 $4.78
Efficient EV 24.9 0 $8.71 $3.98
EV Truck/SUV 39.8 0 $13.94 $6.37

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 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.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Eagle Grove, IA

Afternoon in Eagle Grove on Sunday

Local time

2:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SE 17 mph 59% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:19AM CDT until April 16 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:19AM CDT until April 17 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

West Des Moines, IA

Afternoon in West Des Moines on Sunday

Local time

2:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SE 14 mph 56% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:19AM CDT until April 16 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:19AM CDT until April 17 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

6 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 1m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Eagle Grove, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 99.6 miles and takes about 2h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 20, John MacVicar Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 49.8 miles from Eagle Grove, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.13 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 99.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 13.5 miles (CR D20; IA 17; CR D20 / 220th Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 33.1 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Eagle Grove, IA to West Des Moines, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 817 ft to 1,208 ft elevation with about 537 ft of total climbing.

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Explore More

Return Trip

West Des Moines, IA to Eagle Grove, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

99.7 mi 2h 1m

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