Origin
Gilbert, IA
Afternoon in Gilbert on Friday
Local time
3:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, IA to Ankeny, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gilbert, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 31.5 miles and takes about 43m 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 69, West Riverside Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.4 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 43m highway drive covering 31.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and US 69. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.4 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 17 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 20.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 69. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CR E23 / Mathews Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 31.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.5 miles (CR E23 / Mathews Drive): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.5 miles (North Dayton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR E23 / Mathews Drive
Enter roundabout onto CR E23 / Mathews Drive
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
6.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
North Dayton Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto North Dayton Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
9.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
29.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward 1st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 92
Toward 1st Street
5
29.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 20.4 mi | 22m |
| US 69 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| West Riverside Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Dayton Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| East 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| 170th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Mathews Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East 13th Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 20.4 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on CR E23
94 ft
·
2 sec
·
170th Street
2
Continue on CR E23
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mathews Drive
3
Enter roundabout onto CR E23
102 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mathews Drive
4
Continue on CR E23
526 ft
·
14 sec
·
Mathews Drive
5
Continue on CR E23
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
170th Street
6
Turn right onto US 69
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
US 69
7
Turn left onto West Riverside Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Riverside Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto North Dayton Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Dayton Avenue
9
Turn left onto I 35 Business
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
East 13th Street
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
11
Merge onto I 35
20 mi
·
22 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 92
Toward 1st Street
13
Keep slight right at fork
301 ft
·
9 sec
14
Turn straight onto East 1st Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East 1st Street
15
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Southwest Walnut Street
16
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
17
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.92 one way
$9.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.41 | $10.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.06 | $12.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Ankeny, IA
Afternoon in Ankeny on Friday
Local time
3:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
21 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
43m 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 Gilbert, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 31.5 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 69, West Riverside Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.8 miles from Gilbert, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.92 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 31.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.5 miles (CR E23 / Mathews Drive): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.5 miles (North Dayton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Gilbert, IA to Ankeny, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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