Trip from Estherville, IA to Ankeny, IA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

3h 46m

Distance

178.6 mi

287 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$28

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min

4 AM

3h 34m ★

6 AM

3h 47m

8 AM

4h 12m

10 AM

3h 55m

12 PM

3h 53m

3 PM

3h 57m

5 PM

4h 11m

8 PM

3h 39m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

city in Polk County, Iowa, United States

Ankeny, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Estherville, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 178.6 miles and takes about 3h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 20, I 35, 220th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.7 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.92 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

89.3 miles from Estherville, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 3m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 3h 46m highway drive covering 178.6 miles, with most of the trip on US 20 and I 35. The longest continuous stretch is about 55.7 miles on US 20.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 55.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and I 35. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 70.8 miles in.

Route Complexity 5/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 178.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 70.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 127.6 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 176.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

70.8 mi into trip | ~1h 42m in

Take the ramp toward US 20 East

Navigation decision point

Toward US 20 East

127.6 mi into trip | ~2h 48m in | I 35

Merge onto I 35

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

176.7 mi into trip | ~3h 41m in

Take the exit toward 1st Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 92 Toward 1st Street

177 mi into trip | ~3h 42m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

178.6 mi into trip | ~3h 46m in | Southwest 3rd Street

Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 20	55.7 mi	1h 4m
I 35	49.1 mi	53m
220th Avenue	22.6 mi	30m
460th Avenue	13 mi	17m
State Highway 4	10.6 mi	15m
420th Avenue	8.9 mi	12m
Marengo Avenue	4.8 mi	6m
360th Street	2.9 mi	3m

Longest stretch: US 20 — 55.7 mi, about 1h 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Estherville, IA and Ankeny, IA.

Start on IA 4

0.5 mi · 1 min · South 9th Street

Continue on IA 4

5.9 mi · 8 min · State Highway 4

Continue on IA 4

4.7 mi · 6 min · State Highway 4

Continue on IA 4

8.9 mi · 12 min · 420th Avenue

Turn left onto US 18; IA 4

2.9 mi · 3 min · 360th Street

Continue on US 18; IA 4

1.0 mi · 1 min · 450th Avenue

Continue on US 18; IA 4

0.9 mi · 2 min · Main Street

Turn right onto IA 4

1.0 mi · 2 min · Broadway Street

Continue on IA 4

13 mi · 17 min · 460th Avenue

Continue on IA 4

11 mi · 15 min · 220th Avenue

Continue on IA 4

1.6 mi · 3 min · Northwest 7th Street

Continue on IA 4

11 mi · 15 min · 220th Avenue

Continue on IA 4; IA 7

0.4 mi · 39 sec · Marengo Avenue

Continue on IA 4; IA 7

0.7 mi · 1 min · North East Street

Continue on IA 4; IA 7

4.3 mi · 5 min · Marengo Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto IA 4

2.3 mi · 3 min · Marshall Avenue

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 47 sec

Toward US 20 East

Merge onto US 20

56 mi · 1 hr 4 min · US 20

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min

Toward I 35 South: Des Moines

Merge onto I 35

49 mi · 53 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Exit 92 Toward 1st Street

Keep slight right at fork

301 ft · 9 sec

Turn straight onto East 1st Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · East 1st Street

Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Southwest Walnut Street

Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street

48 ft · 2 sec · Southwest 3rd Street

Arrive at destination

Southwest 3rd 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 89.3 miles from Estherville, IA, or about 2h 3m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.7 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 80 miles or 1h 53m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 89.3 miles or 2h 3m 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 9m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Estherville, 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 Estherville, IA

This is one driving day of about 178.6 miles and 3h 46m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Estherville, 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 US 20 for about 55.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 89.3 mi from Estherville, IA · 2h 3m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Denison, IA

89 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

Ames, 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 89.3 miles from Estherville, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ankeny, IA

The final approach into Ankeny, 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 Ankeny, 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

$27.92 one way

$55.84 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 63 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$30.66	$61.31
premium	$4.89	$34.37	$68.74
diesel	$5.61	$39.43	$78.87

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$28

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$53–$78

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 62.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	53.6	$18.75	$8.57
Efficient EV	44.7	$15.63	$7.14
EV Truck/SUV	71.4	$25.00	$11.43

Gas CO2

62 kg

EV CO2

21 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 5 days ago

Origin

Estherville, IA

Late night in Estherville on Wednesday

Local time

5:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ankeny, IA

Late night in Ankeny on Wednesday

Local time

5:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

47°F

Denison, IA

89 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

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

3h 46m 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 Estherville, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 178.6 miles and takes about 3h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 20, I 35, 220th 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 89.3 miles from Estherville, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.92 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.