Origin
Fort Dodge, IA
Afternoon in Fort Dodge on Thursday
Local time
4:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Dodge, IA to Tara, IA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
20m
Distance
8.8 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Dodge, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Tara, IA
Vladimir Srajber
Trip Overview
The drive from Fort Dodge, IA to Tara, IA covers 8.8 miles and takes about 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 190th Street, 200th Street, US 169 Business for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.2 miles on 190th Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 8.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (14%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 20m drive with frequent turns across 8.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
190th Street is the longest continuous segment at about 2.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 early in the drive near South 22nd Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 22nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 20 Business / 5th Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (US 169 Business / 2nd Avenue South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South 22nd Street
Turn left onto South 22nd Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 20 Business / 5th Avenue South
Turn left onto US 20 Business / 5th Avenue South
Navigation decision point
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 169 Business / 2nd Avenue South
Enter roundabout onto US 169 Business / 2nd Avenue South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
6.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Johnson Avenue
Turn left onto Johnson Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
7.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
200th Street
Turn right onto 200th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 190th Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| 200th Street | 1.5 mi | 5m |
| US 169 Business | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| 2nd Avenue South | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Johnson Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 5th Avenue South | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South 8th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Kenyon Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
190th Street
— 2.2 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Dodge, IA and Tara, IA.
1
Start on 8th Avenue South
25 ft
·
6 sec
·
8th Avenue South
2
Turn left onto South 22nd Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South 22nd Street
3
Turn slight left onto 6th Avenue South
310 ft
·
6 sec
·
6th Avenue South
4
Continue on South 21st Street
366 ft
·
20 sec
·
South 21st Street
5
Turn left onto US 20 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Avenue South
6
Continue on US 20 Business
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East Kenyon Road
7
Turn right onto US 169 Business
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
South 8th Street
8
Turn left onto US 169 Business
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
1st Avenue South
9
Enter roundabout onto US 169 Business
170 ft
·
2 sec
·
2nd Avenue South
10
Continue on US 169 Business
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
2nd Avenue South
11
Turn slight right
101 ft
·
3 sec
12
Turn straight onto US 169 Business
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 169 Business
13
Turn left onto 190th Street
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
190th Street
14
Turn left onto Johnson Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Johnson Avenue
15
Turn right onto 200th Street
1.5 mi
·
5 min
·
200th Street
16
Continue on Hayes Avenue
368 ft
·
16 sec
·
Hayes Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Hayes Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.38 one way
$2.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.51 | $3.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.69 | $3.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.94 | $3.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Tara, IA
Afternoon in Tara on Thursday
Local time
4:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
20m 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 Fort Dodge, IA to Tara, IA covers 8.8 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 190th Street, 200th Street, US 169 Business. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.4 miles from Fort Dodge, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.38 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 is a straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 22nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 20 Business / 5th Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (US 169 Business / 2nd Avenue South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Fort Dodge, IA to Tara, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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