The drive from Forest City, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 122.8 miles and takes about 2h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, Sage Avenue, US 69 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59 miles on I 35.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.20 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
61.4 miles from Forest City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 25m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 34m. Total distance: 122.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 34m highway drive covering 122.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and Sage Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 59 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 59 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Sage Avenue. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East J Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 122.8 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 0.1 miles (East J Street): Navigation decision point; at 58 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 117 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East J Street
Turn right onto East J Street
Navigation decision point
5
58 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
117 mi into trip|~2h 26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
121.9 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Take the exit toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Ea...
8
122.2 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Aven...
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
59 mi
1h 4m
Sage Avenue
26.7 mi
36m
US 69
26 mi
35m
John MacVicar Freeway
4 mi
5m
190th Street
3.4 mi
5m
US Highway 18
1.1 mi
1m
Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
East J Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 59 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest City, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on South 4th Street
358 ft·18 sec·South 4th Street
2
Turn right onto East J Street
0.2 mi·27 sec·East J Street
3
Turn right onto US 69
11 mi·15 min·US 69
4
Turn left onto US 18; US 69
1.1 mi·1 min·US Highway 18
5
Turn right onto US 69
27 mi·36 min·Sage Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 69
15 mi·20 min·US 69
7
Turn left onto CR D20
3.4 mi·5 min·190th Street
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·59 sec
Toward Somerset Road
9
Merge onto I 35
59 mi·1 hr 4 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
11
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi·5 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 8BToward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East VillageUse the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn AvenueUse the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi·34 sec·Pennsylvania Avenue
15
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft·8 sec·East University Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
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 61.4 miles from Forest City, IA, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59 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 27 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.4 miles or 1h 25m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Forest City, 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 Forest City, IA
This is one driving day of about 122.8 miles and 2h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Forest City, 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 I 35 for about 59 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 61.4 mi from Forest City, IA
· 1h 25m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.8
0
$12.89
$5.89
Efficient EV
30.7
0
$10.75
$4.91
EV Truck/SUV
49.1
0
$17.19
$7.86
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Forest City, IA
Morning
in Forest City on Saturday
Local time
6:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Des Moines, IA
Morning
in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
6:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
19 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 34m 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 Forest City, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 122.8 miles and takes about 2h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, Sage Avenue, US 69. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61.4 miles from Forest City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.20 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 122.8 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 0.1 miles (East J Street): Navigation decision point; at 58 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 117 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Forest City, IA to Des Moines, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
